At around midday yesterday (July 12), the Narenthorn EMS Centre stationed at Vachira Phuket Hospital received a report from lifeguards stationed at Kata Beach stating that a foreigner had sustained injuries after falling from a parasail.
Rescue workers arrived at the scene to find a foreigner man, later named as Mr Roger John Hussey, lying on the beach. He was taken to Patong Hospital where a doctor and a medical team tried to assist him but he was later pronounced dead. (See story here.)
After the incident, at around 4:30pm, Lt Suwisit Keereerak of the Karon Police questioned parasail rider Mr Rungroj Rakcheep, 38, and the “Beer Beam” speedboat helmsman and owner Mr Montiean Jandang, 44 about the incident.
The parasail equipment used when the incident took place was also taken to Karon Police Station.
Lt Suwisit said, “Rungroj told us that before taking off on the parasail he told the Australian man to hold the middle of clips using the correct method. When the parasail was up, the Australian man let go of the clips and spread his arms out wide. He then grabbed hold of the clips again but became unattached from the harness and fell,” Lt Suwisit said.
“We believe that when the Australian man grabbed the clips again he might have pushed the clips making them imperfect and this resulted in his fall.
“However, Montiean and Rungroj were charged with reckless causing death and they acknowledged the charge,” Lt Suwisit added.