Australian teenager dies after tragic boating mishap

PHUKET CITY: The parents of a 16-year-old Australian girl injured in a yacht accident last Wednesday took the decision to switch off her life support last night.

Miss Ali van Os, from Darwin, died in Bangkok Hospital Phuket at around 6 pm surrounded by family members.

She was hit in the head by a mooring rope tied to a “superyacht” berthed in Yacht Haven Marina in Mai Khao, Thalang disrict.

Miss van Os had rushed towards the yacht to get a closer look after it docked, but when a crew member accidentally touched the throttle the enormous pleasure craft surged, causing the rope to snap.

Miss van Os was rushed to Bangkok Hospital Phuket in a coma and had lost a lot of blood. Subsequent tests showed her brain was no longer functioning.

Ali van Os had been on holiday in Phuket with family members, including her mother, author Joanne van Os, and father, Lex Silvester, a barrister.