PATTAYA — Thai authorities rescued one of two Chinese tourists who went missing while jet skiing off Koh Larn, but the other has died.
The incident began when Mr. Ma, 33, and Miss Yang, 28, rented jet skis from “Mr. Jazz 1” service near Tawaen Beach on Koh Larn in Bang Lamung district, Chonburi province. The couple failed to return at the scheduled time on September 9, prompting immediate search operations.
Nighttime Rescue Operation
Pattaya police received the report at approximately 2:30 p.m. on September 9 from Chamnan Srithong, 45, owner of the jet ski rental service. The Chinese tourists had been staying on Koh Larn before deciding to rent jet skis for an afternoon ride that turned into a maritime emergency.
Multiple agencies launched an immediate search operation, including Pattaya Police, Koh Larn Police Station, marine rescue teams, tourist police, and marine police. The search continued throughout the night until 2:30 a.m. on September 10, when rescue teams successfully located and rescued Mr. Ma safely. He was taken to Pattaya Tourist Police Station for assistance.
Woman’s Body Found
At 12:00 p.m. on September 10, Pattaya marine rescue teams confirmed they had found Miss Yang’s body in the shipping channel between Koh Nok (Bird Island) and Koh Sichang, approximately one nautical mile (1.8 km) north of Koh Nok. Authorities transported the body to Koh Loy in Sri Racha district for preliminary autopsy examination, confirming the deceased was Miss Yang.
Rental Details Revealed
The jet ski rental operator provided additional details about the incident. The Chinese couple had rented a single jet ski for 30 minutes of recreational riding. After departing, they were seen circling near Tawaen Beach for about five minutes before disappearing from view. When the couple failed to return the jet ski at the scheduled time, the operator launched his own search before alerting police and Pattaya marine rescue teams.
The rental operator confirmed this type of incident had never occurred before. Most customers typically ride around Koh Larn before returning the jet ski on time as scheduled.
Investigation Ongoing
Police have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the accident. Mr. Ma has not provided clear details, stating only that they encountered strong winds that caused them to fall from the jet ski and were unable to swim back to shore. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal accident continues.
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