Chalong Police were notified at 1:30pm yesterday (June 19) by Thipmonta Khaothong that her husband Claude Felix Fernand Pascal Gasca, 78, from Bordeaux, France had gone missing after trying reach his boat “Striana” moored in Ao Yon by dinghy from Chalong Pier at around 10pm on Monday night.
Ms Thipmonta had attempted to reach her husband by phone but was unsuccessful.
A rescue team were sent out to search for Mr Gasca and at 5:30 pm yesterday a rescue team announced that he had been found safe, along with his dinghy, stuck in mangroves in the Baan Nit area nearby Ao Yon.
He was taken to Mission Hospital Phuket where doctors reported that his general condition was good but they needed to keep him in as he was suffering from fatigue which needed to be monitored.
Mr Gasca told police that he retired in Phuket and lives with his Thai wife. Everyday he uses his dinghy to reach his boat which was reported to have been hit by another boat which had been pushed off its anchor by the strong winds on Monday.
“Last night there were big waves and my dinghy got pushed into the mangrove forest. My phone had got wet so I was unable to make contact with anyone,” Mr Gasca said.
Mr Gasca and his wife thanked all those involved in the search.