Sister of British man who drowned in Thailand says beach lifeguard ‘couldn’t swim’
A British man who drowned while swimming at a popular Thai beach could have survived if emergency response and safety standards had been better, his sister has claimed.
The Thai lifeguard on duty said he “couldn’t swim”.
Jason Lambert, 37, from Colchester, was swept out to sea by strong waves at Freedom Beach in Phuket while on holiday with his family on November 29 last year. He was among a group of eight men who got into trouble after being swept away by the current.
The claims by his sister Lauren Smy, 30, come just days after a UK coroner ruled Lambert’s death was accidental.
Ms Smy said the incident unfolded within seconds. In an interview withNewspaper, he said this The group was standing in waist-deep water when a sudden wave swept them out.
He said: “It all happened so quickly – a wave came over us, took us out and I got pulled a little further away from Jason, so I started to panic.
“I said, ‘Jason, I can’t breathe, you’re going to have to help me,’ so he tried to come towards me and grabbed my hand, and before I knew it, another wave came and pulled us further away, and I let go of his hand.
“I literally thought I was going to die because every time I swam I wasn’t going anywhere.”
Ms Smy said another beachgoer helped her to the shore and a separate rescue effort was launched for her brother.
He said: “Then this guy came in and helped me, and as I was retreating another big guy entered the water, grabbed Jason and dragged him to shore where everyone went to him and started CPR.”
When he finally reached land, Ms Smy said the scene was chaotic and extremely distressing.
He told the media: “This lifeguard should have been trained – that’s the point I’m getting at… I didn’t actually know what happened – it all happened a bit too quickly… The lifeguard on duty told us he couldn’t swim.”
Independent He reached out to Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports regarding overseas lifeguard standards and beach safety.
Ms Smy’s claims came despite Thai local media Thai Lambert’s family did not raise any objections or request further investigation into the circumstances of his death, police said. The publication reported that his body was officially handed over to them following an autopsy so that funeral arrangements could be made.
Accordingly MirrorPolice lieutenant colonel Chanan Mekchai from Patong police station in Thailand at the beginning of last month said: “The incident occurred around 11.30 in the morning and we were notified an hour later. He went to the beach with his wife at around 10 in the morning. While swimming, he was caught by strong waves and disappeared under water.”
“Tourists on the beach rushed to help and managed to pull him out of the water. While waiting for emergency services, they performed CPR for first aid, but he could not be saved.”
Lambert had traveled to the Southeast Asian country for a family vacation with his family on November 19.
Lambert, who lived in Greenstead and worked as a bouncer in Colchester, was taken to Patong Hospital in Phuket shortly after midday. He still had a pulse in the ambulance but was pronounced dead in the afternoon.
Chariya Thaweerat Howells, 31, an eyewitness at the scene, said: Mirror early last month: “The sea looked rough and we had only been there a few minutes when we heard cries for help. Everyone rushed to help. A Thai man launched a canoe and managed to reach two stranded tourists and bring them safely to shore.”
“Only then did people notice that a third man had also been dragged into the water. When they dragged him onto the sand, his face was already pale and yellowish. It was obvious that he had been underwater for some time.”
A recent inquest in England concluded Lambert’s death was accidental and noted the cause of death was drowning.
Ms Smy said her family was traumatized by the way authorities handled what happened at the hospital.
He also claimed that blood samples were not taken after his brother’s death and said there was a two-week delay before an autopsy was conducted. Lambert’s body was not repatriated until just after Christmas.
Ms Smy and her mother returned to England two days after Jason died.
