A French father and his two young children have gone missing after taking a rented jet ski from Chawang Beach on Koh Samui in Surat Thani province yesterday, August 13.
Local news Facebook page Nai Sanam (นายสนาม) reported yesterday that the three French nationals, including two children aged between five and seven, disappeared during a jet ski trip.
The family left Chawang Beach in front of Long Beach Hotel at around 5.20pm on August 13. They were travelling on a rented green and white Sea-Doo jet ski and had not returned the vehicle at the scheduled time. All three were reportedly wearing life jackets when they left the beach.
A family member who remained onshore told the local news outlet that she saw the three travelling towards Lamai Beach before losing sight of them.
The disappearance was reported to Bor Phud Police Station, prompting police, rental jet ski operators, rescue teams and local volunteers to begin searching for the family.
The search operation was extended towards the area near Koh Pha Ngan. However, the teams stopped the operation late on August 13 because of safety concerns, with strong winds and waves reportedly reaching three to four metres. The search was scheduled to resume early today, August 14.
The Koh Samui missing family case attracted attention online, particularly among local residents, who shared reports in an effort to help locate the three French nationals.
Some online users suggested that the family might have travelled towards Koh Phangan. Others speculated that the jet ski could have run out of fuel at sea or reached a beach somewhere around Koh Samui.
Another recent missing case was reported in Bangkok earlier this month when a 12 year old American girl was reported missing from the Thong Lo area on August 5 after leaving her hotel without a mobile phone, identification or credit card. Search teams successfully located the girl on August 7, allowing her to reunite with her mother.
The story Search continues for French family missing on Koh Samui as seen on Thaiger News.
