Family stranded at sea for 16 hours after jet ski capsized in Thailand

A French family was stranded at sea for more than 16 hours after their rented jet ski capsized off the coast of Koh Samui, Thailand. The 50‑year‑old father and his two young sons were described as “pale” and “exhausted aft swallowing a batch of seawater” by local official Amorn Chomchoey. All three were taken to a hospital for examination and discharged shortly afterward. According to the Bangkok Post, the father had hired the jet ski for a 45‑minute ride beginning at approximately 17:00 local time (10:00 GMT) on Thursday. When the craft failed to be returned at the agreed time, rescuers deployed speedboats and additional jet skis to comb the waters surrounding Koh Samui and toward the neighboring island of Koh Phangan. Search operations were suspended overnight, and the family was located adrift the following day at around 10:00 local time on Friday, as reported by AFP. The father told authorities that rough waves had struck the jet ski and caused the engine to stall near the end of the rental period. Footage of the rescue shows one boy perched on the front of the ski while the remainder of the craft remained submerged in choppy waves, with the father waving nearby; both were wearing life jackets. Nation Thailand noted that the boys’ mother and older sister had been waiting on shore when the trio was brought back to safety. Officials confirmed to AFP that the family has remained in Thailand and continued their holiday.