American tourist jumps off Pattaya boat, dodges rescue attempts
Rescuer captures strange sea incident as tourist refuses help
A tourist shocked fellow passengers when he suddenly jumped off a moving boat near Pattaya, swimming away as rescue teams struggled to bring him back.
A 36 year old American tourist caused alarm among passengers when he suddenly jumped off a moving boat and swam away, waving “goodbye” to those on board.
The incident unfolded yesterday morning, October 9, as the passenger vessel travelled between Koh Krok and Koh Sak, roughly 800 metres from Koh Larn, en route to Ta Waen Beach. Witnesses reported that the man, identified only as Joshua, had been standing calmly at the front of the boat before unexpectedly diving into the sea.
Kalaya Motthong, head of the Koh Larn rescue unit from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation, said passengers were stunned as Joshua swam away from the vessel.
“He suddenly jumped in and started swimming off. When we tried to approach, he waved and shouted ‘goodbye.’”
The boat’s captain made several attempts to circle back and retrieve him, but Joshua evaded each rescue effort. With concern growing, the captain radioed Pattaya’s marine rescue team for assistance. Kalaya managed to capture parts of the ordeal on video, showing Joshua actively resisting attempts to save him.
Soon, a joint response team comprising Koh Larn police, tourist police, and marine rescuers arrived on the scene. Despite their efforts, the man’s behaviour grew more erratic. Even after being pulled aboard a rescue boat, Joshua reportedly leapt into the sea three more times, forcing rescuers to repeatedly drag him back to safety.
After nearly an hour of struggle, the team successfully restrained Joshua and transported him to shore at Pattaya Beach, near Pattaya City Police Station, reported The Pattaya News.
During questioning, Joshua insisted that he had no intention of harming himself.
“I just wanted to swim back to Koh Larn on my own.”
However, police noted his “unusual behaviour” and suspected he might be suffering from mental distress.
He was later taken to a local hospital for medical evaluation to assess his condition.
If you or anyone you know is in emotional distress, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand 24-hour hotline: 02 713 6791 (English), 02 713 6793 (Thai), or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai). Please also contact your friends or relatives at this time if you have feelings of loneliness, stress, or depression. Seek help.
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