At Karon Beach, four Indian tourists ignored the warning flags and entered the water near the beach volleyball court sometime shortly before 2:15pm. Within minutes they were swept away by strong waves.
Lifeguards and jet-ski operators quickly responded, rescuing two men and two women, who were brought ashore exhausted but safe. First aid was administered by an ambulance crew on-site, with three of the tourists taken to Chalong Hospital for further care.
Shortly after, at 2:45pm, Patong Police were alerted to a similar situation at Patong Beach.
Lifeguards and jet-ski operators again sprang into action to rescue four tourists caught in powerful currents. Among those rescued was at least one Russian tourist.
Despite repeated warnings and the presence of red flags indicating dangerous conditions, the tourists had entered the water, lifeguards said.
Somprasong Saengchat, head of the lifeguard team at Patong Beach, emphasised the severity of the current monsoon conditions.
“Strong monsoon waves and winds have made swimming extremely dangerous. Red flags are posted along the beach for this reason,” he stated.
The rescues carried out by lifeguards today follow four people drowning at Phuket beaches in little more than a week.
Deadly surf claimed the lives of a 44-year-old American man and a 48-year-old Thai woman at Mai Khao Beach yesterday morning (June 17).
The deaths of the couple followed the drowning of a 63-year-old Russian man at Surin Beach on Sunday (June 16) after he, too, reportedly ignored a red ‘no swimming’ flag at the beach.
Phuket’s notorious “drowning season’ truly began when American expat James Everett du Bois, 49, was dragged out to sea by a strong rip current at Nai Harn Beach, on Phuket’s southern west coast, on June 9.
He was swimming with his wife, Siriamon Petcharawut, 49, who with the help of lifeguards was able to bring herself and their 3-year-old child back to shore.
Lifeguards immediately launched a search for Mr du Bois, but were unable to find him, and a more intensive search for him was launched as soon as rescue workers could be assembled.
Rescue workers and Rawai Municipality set up a search centre on the beach to coordinate the search effort, yet the search was called off after Mr du Bois’s body was found washed ashore at the northern end of Nai Harn Beach late on June 10.
In the hope of saving more lives at the beaches, the Phuket office of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Office (MoTS Phuket) conducted a workshop over last weekend (June 14-16) aimed at enhancing the safety potential in water tourism within the ‘Andaman Tourism Development Zone’.
The workshop was held at the Nai Yang Beach Resort & Spa and the beachfront area of Sirinat National Park.