French tourist drowns at Phuket's Karon Beach
PHUKET: A French tourist drowned in rough surf at Karon beach today (May 18).
Sukunya Phoonpong
Friday 18 May 2012, 06:20PM
No lifeguards were present due to an ongoing contract dispute between the OrBorJor and Phuket Lifeguard Club.
Chalong police said the man, 53-year-old French national Angelo Piazza, was dragged from the water at 3pm this afternoon.
Police and emergency services arrived shortly after, but Mr Piazza was pronounced dead on the way to Patong Hospital.
Eyewitnesses told police that several red warning flags were positioned along the beach when Mr Piazza entered the water, along with his wife and a female friend. They said it was raining heavily at the time.
A two metre wave then reportedly rolled through and dragged the three out to sea. A number of local vendors braved the treacherous conditions to come to their aid, but could only save the two women.
An emergency worker eventually managed to being Mr Piazza to shore after about 10 minutes. He was unconscious at the time, and died on the way to hospital where the other two were already being treated.
