Russian woman rescued at popular Phuket beach

PHUKET: Hours after finishing a first aid course as part of a “Safer Phuket” (story here) initiative, lifeguards rescued a Russian woman from the shallow surf of Phuket’s popular Nai Harn Beach.

“The woman was standing in waist-high water when a large wave crashed into her. She seemed to be in distress, so we immediately ran out to rescue her,” explained Nai Harn chief lifeguard Jula Nontree.

“It looked like she had broken her leg, so we set it in a splint and got her on a backboard.”

Two of the woman’s friends told lifeguards that they would take her to Phuket International Hospital for treatment, Mr Jula told the Phuket Gazette.

The rescue came on the final day of first aid training for Nai Harn lifeguards led by Bangkok Hospital Phuket staff. The training is a “Safer Phuket” initiative designed to allow Phuket lifeguards to legally operate Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) in Thailand (story here).

The Gazette and PGTV serve as media partners and sponsors of “Safer Phuket” and will continue to report on all activities, events and progress in the island’s drive toward increased water safety throughout the months ahead.

— Chutharat Plerin