Jet Ski Incident Leaves Family in Peril

A 50-year-old father and his young sons were left stranded in the ocean overnight after their rented jet ski capsized off the coast of Thailand; Local government official Amorn Chomchoey told AFP that the family was “pale” and “exhausted after swallowing a lot of seawater” before being rescued.

All three members of the family were taken to hospital for checks but were discharged shortly afterwards, Chomchoey said. The incident occurred during a 45-minute ride on Koh Samui, one of Thailand’s most popular islands for tourists, around 17:00 local time (10:00 GMT) on Thursday, according to the Bangkok Post.

Rescue Efforts and Search Operations

Rescuers were alerted after the jet ski was not returned at the agreed time. People used speedboats and more jet skis to comb the waters surrounding Koh Samui and towards the nearby island of Koh Phangan in a search for the family, the Bangkok Post reports. Search efforts had to be suspended overnight before the family was found still drifting at sea the following day, according to Thai media.

The father and sons were found by rescuers at around 10:00 local time on Friday, according to AFP. The father told authorities that rough waves had struck the jet ski and caused the engine to stop towards the end of the rental period, the Bangkok Post reports.

Footage of the rescue shows one of the boys sitting on the top of the front of the jet ski while the rest of the vehicle submerged beneath choppy waves. His father can be seen waving at rescuers as he floats nearby. Both of them are wearing life jackets.

Family Reunites and Continues Holiday

English-language news site Nation Thailand reports that the boys’ mother and older sister had been waiting on the beach when the trio were brought back to safety. The family has remained in Thailand and continued their holiday, officials told AFP.