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[Seoul=Newsis] Kim Haram, intern reporter = Four foreign tourists have died in successive accidents over three days on beaches in Phuket, Thailand, raising concerns about local marine safety management.
According to the South China Morning Post on the 26th, a 68-year-old Swedish man collapsed and died while walking in shallow water on the beach on the 20th.
The following day, on the 21st, at around 30 minutes past midnight, a 35-year-old Russian man was swept away by high waves while night swimming with his girlfriend near Banana Beach, around Nai Thon Beach.
His girlfriend testified, “A sudden big wave hit, and my boyfriend pushed me toward the shore, but he was swallowed by the wave.”
Another accident occurred on Kata Beach the same afternoon. People relaxing on the beach noticed two men struggling in the water and attempted a rescue, but one of them ultimately lost his life.
It was confirmed that there were no lifeguards deployed in the area at the time of the accident.
On the 22nd, the body of an American man was washed ashore at Patong Beach. Local police are investigating to determine the exact cause of death by obtaining nearby CCTV footage and witness statements, and have requested an autopsy.
Before these chain accidents, on the 7th, a 10-year-old Canadian girl drowned while swimming with her family on the southwest coast of Phuket Island when she was swept away by a wave. At that time, there was no red alert signal on the beach, so the accident occurred without any awareness of the danger.
Local media cite strong monsoon winds, rip currents, and high waves as causes for these accidents. Rip currents are fast-moving flows of water rushing back into the sea through narrow channels, frequently occurring in Phuket from June to October during the monsoon season.
Experts warned that “rip currents can drag even skilled swimmers into the sea within seconds, making them fatal.”
After the accident, local media pointed to strong rip currents and rough waves during the monsoon season as the cause. Rip currents, a phenomenon of water rushing back into the sea through a narrow channel created by waves, frequently occur during Phuket’s monsoon season from June to October. They are deadly enough to pull even skilled swimmers in a matter of seconds.
Furthermore, the absence of safety personnel and inadequate warning systems were also criticized. There were no lifeguards present at Kata Beach and Karon Beach during the accidents, and there are reports of delayed responses to rescue requests.
Additionally, warning signs and monitoring systems are not functioning correctly, leading to a lack of risk awareness among tourists.
Meanwhile, there is a warning of the potential appearance of a toxic marine creature known as the “blue dragon,” a type of sea slug, in the area. This organism, mainly found on warm coasts like those in Australia, South Africa, and Europe, possesses venom that can cause extreme pain and respiratory difficulties.
In response to the recent accidents, Thai authorities are expanding lifeguard personnel, improving warning sign systems, and inspecting monitoring systems. They are conducting safety campaigns with hotels and resorts and strongly advise swimming only within designated patrol areas.