Two drowning tourists rescued off Similan island

Two drowning tourists rescued off Similan island

A navy rescue team gives emergency first aid to a Chinese woman who was saved from drowning off Similan island in Phangnga on Friday morning. She was later transferred to Phuket Mission Hospital. (Photo by Achataya Chuenniran)
A navy rescue team gives emergency first aid to a Chinese woman who was saved from drowning off Similan island in Phangnga on Friday morning. She was later transferred to Phuket Mission Hospital. (Photo by Achataya Chuenniran)

PHANGNGA - A Chinese woman and a South Korean man were rescued in separate incidents after getting into severe difficulty while swimming off Koh Similan island on Friday.

Zheng Guiping, 47, a Chinese national, was pulled to safety from the water at Koh 5 about 10.10am on Friday. 

She was rushed to Koh 4, where naval medics gave her urgent first aid before a speedboat took her to shore at Thap Lamu pier, where doctors from Takua Pa Hospital were awaiting her. Mrs Zheng was later transferred to Phuket Mission Hospital.

A guide from Seastar Co who sought help from the navy team said the tourist was drowning for 3-5 minutes before she was rescued from the sea.

Less than two hours later, a South Korean man identified later as Kam Shinsung, 33, was also seen drowning off the beach of Koh 4.  He was pulled from the water by another foreign tourist, according to a member of the navy rescue team on Koh Similan, who was alerted by a Similan National Park official about 11.30am.

Mr Kam was given first aid and then sent to Thai Muang Hospital in Phangnga province.

A South Korean man is transferred to Thai Muang Hospital in Phangnga after being saved from drowning in the sea off Koh Similan on Friday. (Photo by Achadtaya Chuenniran)

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