Drama off Koh Samui as a French father and his two young sons vanish during a 45-minute jet ski ride. After 17 hours at sea, rescuers find the youngest clinging to the craft, with father and brother afloat nearby.
A 45-minute jet ski ride off Koh Samui on Thursday evening became a 17-hour ordeal for a French father and his two young sons. Stranded by rough seas, they spent the night five nautical miles offshore as worsening conditions forced rescuers to suspend their search. When teams finally reached them on Friday morning, nine-year-old Ilyes was clinging to the disabled jet ski. His father Brahim Terki, 50, and brother Maheiddine, 12, were still afloat nearby. All three were exhausted but alive and wearing life jackets.
A French father and his two young sons were rescued on Friday after spending the night adrift off Koh Samui. Their rented jet ski became stranded in rough conditions during a 45-minute trip from Chaweng Beach. Instead, the family remained at sea for more than 17 hours before rescuers found them.
The three tourists were located at 10.26 am on August 14, about five nautical miles off Chaweng Beach. They were found in open water off Tambon Bo Phut after an extensive search. Notably, all three were wearing life jackets when rescuers reached them.
The tourists were identified as Brahim Terki, 50, and his sons Maheiddine, 12, and Ilyes, nine. All three were exhausted but safe after their night at sea. Crucially, nine-year-old Ilyes was still clinging to the front of the disabled jet ski.
Father and elder son found afloat as major overnight search expands from Koh Samui towards Koh Phangan
Meanwhile, Mr Terki and his elder son had remained afloat in the water. Wat Plai Laem Rescue Foundation personnel and district administration teams eventually located the family. The discovery ended a search involving officials, police, rescue teams and private jet ski operators.
The emergency began late on Thursday afternoon at Chaweng Beach. According to investigators, Mr Terki rented the jet ski at 5.10 pm. He took his two sons aboard for a 45-minute ride.
However, the family failed to return when the rental period ended. In response, the operator alerted officials and launched an initial search at about 6 pm. The effort failed to locate the father, his sons or their jet ski.
Consequently, a large-scale operation was mounted later that evening. Speedboats and jet skis began combing waters around Koh Samui. In parallel, teams pushed their search farther towards neighbouring Koh Phangan.
Police, local officials, rescue personnel and private jet ski operators joined the operation. Yet the family remained missing as darkness descended over the search area. The operation then continued for several hours in worsening sea conditions.
Rough seas halt overnight search before crews return at daylight and find French family off Koh Samui
By early Friday, rough seas were creating safety concerns for the search crews. Therefore, teams suspended the operation at approximately 1 am. By then, Mr Terki and his sons had been missing for almost eight hours.
At sea, the family faced the remainder of the night without outside contact. Mr Terki later told officials that he could not call anyone for help. As a result, the three remained offshore until daylight returned.
The search resumed on Friday morning as crews returned to waters around Koh Samui. Once again, teams began looking for the missing jet ski and its three occupants. Finally, rescuers spotted the family at 10.26 am.
They were approximately five nautical miles from Chaweng Beach. Wat Plai Laem Rescue Foundation personnel and district administration teams reached them in open water. At that point, all three had spent the entire night at sea.
Mr Terki later explained how the short excursion turned into an overnight emergency. Near the end of the rental period, rough waves struck the jet ski. Subsequently, the craft’s engine stopped while the family remained offshore.
Jet ski engine fails in rough waves leaving French father and two young sons stranded through the night
Mr Terki was unable to get the jet ski moving again. More seriously, he had no means of contacting anyone for assistance. The father and his two children were therefore stranded as darkness approached.
During the night, Mr Terki and 12-year-old Maheiddine remained afloat in the water. Separately, nine-year-old Ilyes stayed with the disabled jet ski. He held onto the front of the craft while the family waited for rescue.
All three continued wearing their life jackets throughout the ordeal. At the same time, the jet ski remained stranded in open water. The family had no contact with the search teams combing the surrounding sea.
Back on Koh Samui, the failure to find them had triggered the wider operation. As part of this, speedboats and jet skis searched waters surrounding the island. Other teams extended the effort towards Koh Phangan.
Nevertheless, the worsening seas prevented the nighttime operation from continuing beyond 1 am. Search personnel then had to wait until morning before returning to the water. The three French tourists remained missing throughout that interruption.
Family spends more than 17 hours offshore before rescuers find stranded jet ski and bring all three ashore
On another front, the family had already been offshore for nearly eight hours when the search stopped. More than nine additional hours passed before rescuers reached them. Their 45-minute rental had become a night-long emergency at sea.
After daylight, the renewed search eventually located the stranded jet ski. Rescuers found Ilyes holding onto its front section. Nearby, his father and elder brother remained afloat in the water.
The teams recovered all three tourists and brought them safely back to Koh Samui. Although exhausted, the family was reported safe following the rescue. Afterwards, they were taken to Bangkok Hospital Samui for medical examinations.
The rescue came more than 17 hours after the family left Chaweng Beach. They departed at 5.10 pm on Thursday and were found at 10.26 am Friday. Their location was about five nautical miles offshore when rescuers finally reached them.
Two-stage search around Koh Samui and towards Koh Phangan ends with father and sons safely ashore.
The operation had unfolded in two stages across Thursday night and Friday morning. Initially, the jet ski operator began searching after the family failed to return. Officials and other teams later expanded the effort across waters around Koh Samui.
Private jet ski operators also joined police, rescue workers and district personnel. Moreover, speedboats were deployed as the search area extended towards Koh Phangan. Rough conditions eventually forced the temporary suspension before the morning operation resumed.
Four rescued 12 miles offshore from Pattaya on Friday evening when a speedboat capsized in windy seas
Rescue services and life vests save Spanish family after boat capsized one nautical mile off Koh Samui
Following the rescue, Mr Terki thanked everyone involved in the operation. He expressed his gratitude to those who searched for his family and brought them safely ashore.
Ultimately, the operation ended with the father and both children alive after more than 17 hours offshore. The three were exhausted when found but had remained together throughout the night. All were subsequently taken for medical examinations after returning to Koh Samui.
Join the Thai News forum, follow Thai Examiner on Facebook here
Receive all our stories as they come out on Telegram here
Follow Thai Examiner here
Further reading:
Fears for UK tourist Millie Young and boat cook Samniang Chaichana, as empty rescue boat located
Top brass in Bangkok order a deeper probe into deaths of a business tycoon and his wife on Ko Tao
Tragic deaths of Thai Indian tycoon and his wife after checking into luxurious Ko Tao island resort
Remains of Ukrainian ambassador to Thailand who died on Ko Lipe on Sunday sent to Bangkok
