Tradegy as Victorian woman is killed in jet ski collision at Phuket beach
Lifesavers try to save the life of Victorian tourist Emily Jayne Collie on Phuket’s Karen Beach. Photo: Facebook
Bangkok: A 20-year-old Victorian woman has been killed when jet-skis collided in waters off the Thai tourist island of Phuket.
Emily Jayne Collie, from Kyabram, suffered severe neck and shoulder injuries in the crash near Kata Beach late on Sunday afternoon.
Thai media reported Ms Collie’s rented jet-ski collided with another at high speed. The other jet-ski is believed to have been ridden by her partner, who suffered minor injuries.
Partner Tom Keating told Thai officials strong sunlight reflecting from the sea made it impossible to see Ms Collie, leading to the crash, the Bangkok Post reported.
The couple had hired jet-skis earlier Sunday from a vendor at Karon Beach and rode them to nearby Kata Beach.
Emily Jayne Collie was holidaying in Thailand with her partner. Photo: Facebook/@emily.j.collie
Lifeguards pulled Ms Collie from the water and, with her partner, attempted to revive her on the beach.
Phuket News reported that lifesavers performed CPR on Ms Collie for 15 minutes before she was transported by ambulance to Chalong Hospital at 5pm. She was pronounced dead on arrival.
Ms Collie’s body has been sent to Vachira Hospital for further investigations into the cause of her death.
Tributes are beginning to pour in for Ms Collie on social media, with one friend posting a photo of the 20-year-old and writing “our dear angel”.
“Words can’t describe how devastated we are,” another friend wrote.
The young woman is from the small town of Kyabram, in north-east Victoria, and previously went to high school at Goulburn Valley Grammar School in Shepparton.
She was on holiday in Thailand with Mr Keating, her partner of about 18 months.
Mr Keating’s sister, Bree Lyon, told Fairfax the family was “absolutely devastated”.
“My dearest angel, one you have always been and will always remain,” she said, about Ms Collie.
“From the very moment I met you I loved you, I cherished your genuine heart, and that beautiful smile. I was inspired by you in so many ways my darling girl, you were so strong and so determined.
“I miss you so much Emily. I truly do. I love how you loved my brother, the way you looked into his eyes with nothing but pure love, it was the truest thing I’ve ever been grateful to witness.
“I promise to look after your Tommy forever and always our darling girl with those beautiful curls.”
Ms Lyon said her brother had suffered minor injuries.
For years tourists on Phuket have been warned about safety and insurance scams when renting jet-skis.
Jet-ski hirers usually get people to sign a contract but customers are rarely asked questions about whether they have experience riding them.
Under Thai law, anyone using a jet-ski is supposed to have a “captain’s permit” but the law is overlooked to allow tourists to hire jet-skis.
The death comes at a time Thai tourism officials in Bangkok have been pressing Phuket authorities to make the island safer on the roads and in the water.
But Phuket lifeguards recently had their budget cut.
Australia’s smartraveller.gov.au travel advisory warns about the risks of hiring jet-skis and motorcycles on Thai beaches, in particular in Phuket, Pattaya, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.
“You may be detained and arrested by police following jet-ski and motorcycle accidents until compensation, often in the thousands of dollars, can be negotiated between parties,” the advisory says.
Many Australians who take out travel insurance policies in Australia find they are not covered when they have a motorcycle accident in Thailand because they are not licensed to ride one in Australia.
More than 20,000 Australians holiday on Phuket each month.
