Koh Phi Phi tragedy: Brit pays tribute to brother in tsunami tale
On the 20th anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami which devasted six provinces in Thailand including Phuket and Phang Nga, a British tourist remembers the tragic death of his brother whilst the duo were on a Christmas break on Koh Phi Phi in 2004.
Just a day after celebrating Christmas together on the beach and sharing a heartfelt “I love you,” brothers Luke and Piers Simon from Somerset in the southwest of the UK were running for their lives. The Boxing Day tsunami unleashed devastation across the island, sending a deadly surge of water and debris crashing through their once-serene surroundings.
Luke, then 30, managed to climb to safety with his girlfriend, Sophie, but Piers, tragically, was swept away by the torrent—a “moving landfill” of water and debris that obliterated everything in its path. Five days later, Piers’ body was identified, one of 149 Britons and over 225,000 people worldwide killed in the disaster.
“On Christmas Day, we walked along the beach and had a really meaningful conversation. For some reason, it felt right to say we loved each other.”
As the tsunami struck, chaos erupted.
“People were rushing into the café, knocking over tables.”
Initially mistaking the panic for a gun attack, the group soon realised the reality.
“A local said, ‘Water come,’ and everything changed.”
The wave turned streets into canals filled with debris travelling at 30 miles per hour.
Despite helping countless injured survivors, Luke’s desperate search for Piers ended in heartbreak. On December 30, Piers was confirmed dead.
“I struggle with the fact my daughters never had an uncle. He would have been so loving.”
Determined to channel his grief, Luke and his family launched the Piers Simon Appeal to aid Ko Phi Phi’s recovery. The charity evolved into School in a Bag, delivering over 151,000 backpacks filled with educational supplies to children in need worldwide, reported Daily Mail UK.
Twenty years later, Luke returned to Koh Phi Phi.
“It’s wonderful to see it rebuilt. It’s a place of loss but also hope.”
