Erik Larsen, 58, a Danish National, is one out of two tourists who ignored the red “No Swimming” flags and drowned while celebrating their holydays.
The second ignorant of the day was a 40 year old Russian, writes PhuketWan.
Phuket Lifeguard sources said to the website that red ”no swim” flags were flying.
The first drowning came at 11am on the beach in front of the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa, a Karon beach lifeguard told Phuketwan. The second drowning followed about 2pm a little further down the beach, near the Golden Dragon statue, the lifeguard said.
Sources said that in one of the cases, the man was rescued from the surf, and given cardio-pulmonary resuscitation on the beach. The man stood up, said he was feeling better, and then fell over.
He was taken to Patong Hospital, where the bodies of both tourists are now. The Danish man is believed to have been holidaying on Phuket with his family. Police are still in quest of someone who may know the Russian man.
The Danish national Erik Larsen’s family has been informed about his dead.
However, the tally of deaths at Karon is unacceptably high, probably exceeding double figures.
To start 2011 in January – the calm and safer high season – with two deaths means that Karon beach should probably be closed to all swimmers until the local authorities produce a comprehensive plan to prevent further deaths.
Strangely, many of the deaths from drowning at Karon beach have been omitted from an official police list of all the deaths of expats on Phuket, submitted every three months when Phuket honorary consuls meet the Phuket Governor, writes PhuketWan.
