French tourist dies after slipping from fifth tier of Koh Samui waterfall
A French tourist died after slipping and falling from the fifth tier of a waterfall on Koh Samui in Surat Thani province while taking selfies with his girlfriend. The woman narrowly escaped the fatal accident.
Officers from Koh Samui Police Station rushed to Na Muang 2 Waterfall yesterday, January 5, after receiving a report of the fall. The victim was later identified as 22 year old French national Alexis Vergos, who reportedly went missing after slipping from the rocks on the fifth tier of the waterfall.
Police, rescue workers, and local administrative officials launched a search operation and later found Vergos’s body in a pool of water on the fourth tier of the waterfall. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The rescue team carefully planned a recovery operation due to the steep and dangerous terrain. Using ropes, rescuers slowly lifted the body from the water, placed it on a stretcher, and carried it down the waterfall. The operation took around two hours to complete.
A doctor from Koh Samui Hospital conducted a preliminary examination and found that the French tourist had suffered severe head injuries.
According to Thai interpreter Pimprapha Sakulpram, the victim’s girlfriend, Romane, told police that the couple visited the waterfall together and climbed up to the fifth tier.
While attempting to take selfies on the rocks, both of them reportedly slipped. Romane said she managed to grab onto a tree branch, which saved her life, while Vergos was swept away by the flowing water and fell down to a lower level of the waterfall.
Romane then rushed down to the base of the waterfall to alert nearby restaurant operators, who contacted emergency services.
Na Muang 2 Waterfall has seen several serious accidents in the past. In June 2024, an Italian tourist suffered injuries to his hips and legs after slipping on the rocks. In November of the same year, an Indian tourist lost his life after falling from a cliff at the same waterfall.
In another case in May last year, a British soldier sustained serious injuries in an accident at the waterfall and later faced a hospital bill exceeding 4.4 million baht.
Local officials once again urged visitors to exercise extreme caution when climbing waterfalls, especially during wet or slippery conditions. Warning signs have been installed throughout the area, and tourists are advised to strictly follow safety instructions to prevent further accidents.
