Tourists Found Dead After White Water Rafting Boat Capsizes

Rescue workers have recovered the body of a tourist who was reported missing after an inflatable white water rafting boat capsized in strong currents.

His body was found (Wednesday), two kilometers away from the spot where the rafting boat capsized.

The discovery of the body followed massive searches of the Song Preak River in Phang Nga forest on Tuesday and Wednesday morning.

On a Phang Nga river rafting tour Tuesday, the rafting boat containing tourists and two oarsmen hit a boulder in the middle of the raging river and overturned. All but one of the passengers were thrown overboard.

Witnesses claim that the 42-year-old Iranian tourist, identified as Bahzadifar Javad Gholamabbas, was washed downstream before they could reach him.

The accident occurred about five kilometers from where the rafting expedition began.

According to the oarsmen, the rapids were very strong. He had told the five tourists to abandon the inflatable boat when he saw another rafting boat heading for the bank.

Search for White Water Rafting Tourists

He said he shouted for help from people on the river bank before hitting a boulder and capsizing. Four of the tourists were rescued, but the Iranian tourist was unable to escape as his arm was entangled in a rope.

The oarsmen, tourists, and people from the river bank pulled the inflatable boat ashore, but the Iranian tourist was not there. He had been swept away by the rough current of the river.

More than 100 officials, including forest and local officials, along with members of the white water rafting service, searched for the Iranian tourist until dark.

At around 9 am on Wednesday, his body was found about 5 kilometers downstream, said the Phangnga Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, which led the search for the missing tourist.