CityNews – A fisherman and his mentally-handicapped son had been out on their longtail fishing boat on Friday 31st January when a large wave washed over the boat, taking with it the fisherman’s son.
The Phuket Marine Police searched for Jirawat Srisomporn (27) for four hours on Friday before calling off the search due to the danger of the high waves. They believed that he had already drowned, as his father had told them his son was unable to swim.
Jirawat’s body was discovered on the shore of Laem Daeng Beach at around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday 2nd February, two days after he was knocked overboard into the sea between Rang Yai Island and Maphrao Island.
In a separate incident, a 9-year-old boy drowned after chasing his kite into the sea at Ban Duk Beach in Northern Phuket on Sunday 2nd February. The boy, Noppadol Kerdsin, had been flying the kite with friends when the string snapped, and he followed the lost kite into the ocean.
Although the young boy was described as a good swimmer, he was repeatedly bashed by strong waves from a nearby boat which caused him to weaken, while nearby fishermen scrambled to save him. He was later taken to Thalang Hospital, but doctors were unable to save him and pronounced him dead at around 2:45 p.m.