Thread: South Korean drowns while snorkelling off Larn island, near Pattaya

A South Korean tourist drowned yesterday afternoon, as he was snorkelling in the sea near Ta Waen Beach on Larn Island, off the coast of Pattaya City.


The victim, 37-year-old Eik Yu-han, and another South Korean visited Larn Island yesterday and went snorkelling together.


After being in the water for a long time, the other South Korean reportedly told the police that he found his friend floating face down and rushed to his rescue. He pulled him ashore and called for help.


CPR and mouth-to-mouth were attempted to resuscitate Eik, before he was rushed to a community emergency medical centre on the island where medics again tried CPR, but could not save him.


The victim’s body has been taken to the Police General Hospital in Bangkok for autopsy.

South Korean drowns while snorkelling off Larn island, near Pattaya - Thai PBS World

I struggle to understand how this can happen unless he had a heart attack mid snorkel.

Originally Posted by DrWilly

I struggle to understand

you make that painfully obvious with every post you make.

Ok, explain it then, genius.

^ Think about it a moment, dumbo.

Like Thais, Koreans are not known for their swimming abilities. Aussies are, since we include its teaching in primary school and often before that.

Snorkeling is easy to pick up but he may not have been as able as a long-term swimmer to exclude water from his pharynx. And that ability is a large part of swimming. It becomes automatic after mucking around in a pool

and the surf for years.

All it takes is a slight accidental inhalation of a tiny bit of water and suddenly the snorkeler is struggling, then inhaling water.

Long time in the water could have caused cramp, which can lead to drowning. However, I wouldn't have expected the two to have separated. Should have stayed in close visual contact.

Originally Posted by Salsa dancer

^ Think about it a moment, dumbo.

Like Thais, Koreans are not known for their swimming abilities. Aussies are, since we include its teaching in primary school and often before that.

Snorkeling is easy to pick up but he may not have been as able as a long-term swimmer to exclude water from his pharynx. And that ability is a large part of swimming. It becomes automatic after mucking around in a pool

and the surf for years.

All it takes is a slight accidental inhalation of a tiny bit of water and suddenly the snorkeler is struggling, then inhaling water.

jeezus. Another armchair expert.


perhaps he valved it?

Bitten by sea snake? Subdural haematoma? Struck by a falling meteorite splinter?