Tragic drownings in Phuket claim lives of boy and British tourist
Two tragic incidents in Phuket resulted in the drowning deaths of a five year old Chinese boy and a 43 year old British tourist, police confirmed yesterday.
Karon Police were notified by Chalong Hospital at 6.32pm, yesterday, October 22, about the drowning death of five year old Chinese tourist Zhang Zhiqjanna. Zhang had been swimming with his mother in the swimming pool of a hotel near Karon Beach when he lost consciousness and drowned.
Despite immediate CPR efforts by hotel staff and emergency personnel, he was rushed to the hospital but could not be revived. Further details of the boy’s death have not been disclosed by police.
Earlier yesterday, at around 4pm, a 43 year old British tourist was pulled unconscious from the water at Karon Beach by a bystander. Despite being taken to Chalong Hospital, he too could not be revived. Police are withholding the man’s name until his next of kin have been notified, as confirmed by The Phuket News.
Police are working with the relevant embassies concerning the two deaths.
In related news, a 40 year old mother collapsed in a flood of tears as she embraced the lifeless body of her 13 year old daughter, who tragically drowned after slipping into the overflow dam in Buriram. Despite friends’ efforts to save her, the strong current swept the girl away.
Police were alerted on October 17, about the incident at the Takut Tasa overflow dam in Buriram’s Nang Rong district. Deputy Inspector Akkarawat Khunwong from the Nong Sai Police Station coordinated with the Siam Ruamjai Poo-in Foundation’s diving team to search for the missing girl.
Villagers were already at the scene, desperately trying to locate the 13 year old girl. The girl’s mother and family were present, overwhelmed with grief, with the mother fainting multiple times. After an hour of searching, the diving team recovered the girl’s body from the bottom of the dam.
