Thread: Search resumes for German who jumped into the sea off a Koh Pha-ngan ferry

The search resumed today (Wednesday) in the seas around Koh Pha-ngan, in Thailand’s southern province of Surat Thani, for a German tourist who jumped into the sea from a double-decked ferry last night, as it was heading for Koh Samui.


The skipper of the ferry reportedly told the police that the boat had left Koh Pha-ngan less than 20 minutes before a passenger, later identified as German national Florain Storz, who was travelling with his wife, stood up and threw himself overboard from the second deck on the starboard of the vessel. The incident was reported by the skipper to the police on Koh Pha-ngan and a sea search was immediately mounted. It continued until 10.30pm, when it was suspended due to rough seas and lack of light.


Marine and tourist police, local officials and the private sector on Koh Pha-ngan are taking part in the effort to find him.


The German couple arrived in Thailand on December 20th and were staying in a bungalow in Maret sub-district. Their visas are due to expire on February 2nd.


Officials on Koh Pha-ngan said they don’t know the motive for the man’s actions.


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Officials on Koh Pha-ngan said they don’t know the motive for the man’s actions.

I'd give some thought to asking his wife.

Originally Posted by misskit

The skipper of the ferry reportedly told the police that the boat had left Koh Pha-ngan less than 20 minutes .... The incident was reported by the skipper to the police on Koh Pha-ngan

Luckily the captain didn't have a radio he could use to inform the police earlier.

That's the 2nd squarehead in a week to top themself. The other one jumped off a cliff into a ravine in Northern Thailand. Both methods particularly gruesome.

Originally Posted by misskit

Their visas are due to expire on February 2nd.

Maybe he didn't want to go home. An extreme solution.

Thoughts of places like Digbeth coach station could drive one to it.

I have to wonder how the relationship was going though.

Originally Posted by panama hat

Luckily the captain didn't have a radio he could use to inform the police earlier

what about that sentence leads you to believe he didn't use his radio to inform the police straight away?

Originally Posted by panama hat

Luckily the captain didn't have a radio he could use to inform the police earlier.

Foreign tourist still missing
February 2, 2023 15:25
When other passengers saw the man jump, they shouted to alert the ferry crew and the vessel was stopped. The captain turned the boat around to search for the German man and the crew alerted officers from the Royal Thai Navy.

Shortly before 9pm, a search operation was launched by Surat Thani Marine Police, rescue divers, and the Phang Ngan Marine Office. The search continued until around 10pm, when it was aborted due to 2 metre high waves, before resuming the following morning.



and

UPDATE: Search for Missing German Tourist Continues near Phangan Island
Thursday, 2 February 2023, 16:36
The full search by the Surat Thani Marine Police, local rescue divers, and the Phangan Marine Office has continued in the sea and on beaches at Tae Nok and Tae Nai Islands in which these islands are the closest islands from Phangan Island.