Chinese girl dead - Thailand

[DandyDon]

Scuba Diver Found Dead at 11 Metre Depth off Similans, North of Phuket - Phuket Wan

PHUKET: The body of a young Chinese scuba diver was recovered from a depth of 11metres off the Similan islands north of Phuket yesterday, with details about her death yet to be explained.

Rescuers carried Lin Zhang, 23, to the surface where she failed to respond to resuscitation then to the nearest hospital at Thai Muang, in Phang Nga province, not far from the popular holiday dive centre of Khao Lak.






The young woman, diving with friends from the vessel Peter Pan with the Similan Seven Sea Club, was found by divers from Khao Lak Scuba Adventures about 2.30pm off Bon island, according to friends.

Bon island is part of the Similans national park, which is usually popular with divers at this time of the year.

The diver was floating face-down and her mouthpiece was not in place. She appeared to have vomited underwater.

Her dive watch last recorded a final depth of 11.2 metres. Much of the dive was spent at nine metres.

Others on the boat said she disappeared after having lunch, on the third dive of the day.

She had previously made 20 dives, including three on Wednesday.

A speedboat carried Ms Zhang back to the Andaman coast and she was taken to Thai Muang Hospital. In late afternoon, examining doctors said she had been dead for approximately six hours.

She had a tattoo of six small birds on her shoulder and appeared to have been diving dressed in a piece of headgear that had two yellow tiger's ears and a yellow and black tiger tail.

An autopsy is likely to be considered to determine the cause of her death.

 

[Centrals]

It doesn't make any sense at all!
1. Disappeared after lunch. Any alarm raised?
2. Diving alone with/without scuba unit?
3. The body was recovered at 14:30.
4. Had been dead ~6hrs!!!!!!

 

[chillyinCanada]

Central, it's lucky the article didn't say she'd lost her oxygen feed. How about, whilst diving with others after lunch, the other divers noticed she was missing. By the time her body was found, recovered, delivered and seen by the coroner, she'd been dead approximately 6 hours. She was found floating face down and her regulator no longer in her mouth. (Ergo, she had scuba gear)

Frankly, why it was necessary to describe her tattoo and hood escapes me. She's already been identified.

 

[Zippsy]

The story makes sense to me, except as Chilly says, why include the tattoo paragraph. It's one of the most complete accident reports I've seen in a newspaper.

 

[KathyV]

Maybe they described her appearance in case other divers/boaters noticed her and might be prompted to come forward and give information that would narrow down the time of the accident.

 

[DandyDon]

Chinese woman, 23, found dead, alone on dive tour north of Phuket

Divers from Khao Lak Scuba Adventures found the body of Zhang Lin near Koh Bon, off Kuraburi in Phang Nga, at about 2:30pm.

Officials from the Similan National Park outpost in Kuraburi notified Marine Police that her body had been found at 7pm last night (Nov 27).

Police said that, according to the divers who found her, Ms Zhang was floating face-down without her mouthpiece in place.

They brought her body on board their dive boat, the Taisiri, and performed CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) in an attempt to revive her. However, Ms Zhang remained unresponsive.

A speedboat sped Ms Zhang ashore and she was rushed to Tai Muang Hospital, but doctors there said that she died at least six hours before her body was discovered.

However, doctors also said they would request that an autopsy determine her cause of death.

Photos presented to The Phuket News show a cut over Ms Zhang's left eye and minor abrasions on her forehead.

Ms Zhang was with friends on a liveaboard dive tour on the MV Peterpan, operated by the Similan Seven Sea Club dive company based in Khao Lak, said Lt Col Chakri Maigumponsuth of the Phang Nga Marine Police

“However, we are still investigating the nature of the incident,” he said.

Police have notified the Chinese Embassy of Ms Zhang’s death, he added.

“Together with Tai Muang Police, we will question the owner of the Similan Seven Sea Club dive company, Tongkan Worapanya, 39, and check all documents related to the diving contract involving the victim,” Col Chakri said.

The Similan Seven Sea Club told The Phuket News that the company would release a statement about the incident later this afternoon (Nov 28).

 

[Centrals]

Chinese woman, 23, found dead, alone on dive tour north of Phuket

1. "A speed boat sped Ms Zhang ashore and.....she died at least 6hrs before her body was recovered"
2. When was the body recovered, 14:30 or 19:00?
3. The victim was supposed to have disappeared after lunch and on her 3rd dive of the day.
4. What happened to her buddies, dive guide etc etc? Very quiet from them, too quiet.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Perhaps she was hit by a boat (based on info about abrasions).

 

[KevinNM]

The whole "So we forgot about a diver and she drowned. No big deal, happens all the time" seems very odd.

 

[kaerius]

4. Had been dead ~6hrs!!!!!!

Dead 6 hours, once the speedboat had gotten the body to the hospital in phuket from the similan islands national park, and the doctors declared her dead. The distance is 109 km as the bird flies, probably took over 3 hours just by boat, and another half an hour by land to get to the hospital, minimum.

---------- Post added November 28th, 2015 at 10:42 PM ----------

Perhaps she was hit by a boat (based on info about abrasions).

I'd go with death by laryngospasm myself, if I was to have a guess. Mouthpiece not in place, appears to have vomited.