Turkish tourist ignores red flags, drowns

PHUKET: A Turkish man yesterday became the sixth person to drown in Phuket waters this year.

Yalcin Dagdelen, 45, a guest at Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort, had been warned by hotel beach guards not to go swimming, but entered the water anyway, Kata-Karon lifeguard chief Uten Singsom told the Phuket Gazette.

“The waves were very strong. Mr Dagdelen was dragged out by a big wave and disappeared in the surf,” said Mr Uten.

The lifeguards began searching for him, and spotted him about 10 minutes later floating in the surf just offshore.

“The beach guards pulled him out of the water but he was already unconscious,” Mr Uten explained.

Mr Dagdelen was rushed to Patong Hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Mr Uten repeated the plea he has made many times already this year: Do not swim where there are red flags.

“With the sea this rough, we prefer people to not swim at all,” Mr Uten said. “But if you must go in, do so in the areas where there are yellow-red flags, and only when lifeguards are on duty.”

Karon Beach currently has about 100 red flags on it, and Kata about 50, to warn tourists of dangerous surf, he said.

Karon has already claimed three lives this year; all Thais. In May, a 26-year-old visitor from northern Thailand drowned there (story here); in June, a 13-year-old local boy (story here), and four days ago, another 14-year-old local boy (story here).

In April, a 29-year-old Chinese tourist drowned while snorkeling at Racha Yai Island (story here), and in January, a 12-year-old Thai girl drowned while swimming at Nai Harn (story here).

— Chutharat Plerin