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

A French father and his two young sons were rescued after spending more than 16 hours drifting at sea when their rented jet ski capsized off Thailand’s Koh Samui.

The 50-year-old man and his five- and seven-year-old sons were reportedly exhausted and had swallowed large amounts of seawater by the time rescuers found them, local government official Amorn Chomchoey told AFP.

The three were taken to hospital for medical examinations but were later discharged.

The father had rented the jet ski at around 5:00 p.m. local time on Thursday for a 45-minute ride around Koh Samui, a popular tourist destination. Concern arose when he failed to return the watercraft at the agreed time.

Rescue teams launched a search using speedboats and other jet skis, scouring the waters around Koh Samui and nearby Koh Phangan. The operation was suspended overnight before the family was eventually located the following morning.

According to reports, rescuers found the family at about 10:00 a.m. on Friday, roughly 17 hours after they had set out.

The father told authorities that strong waves hit the jet ski near the end of the rental period, causing its engine to stop and leaving them stranded.

Video footage from the rescue showed one of the boys sitting on the front of the partially submerged jet ski as waves moved around them, while his father floated nearby. Both were wearing life jackets.

The boys’ mother and their older sister had reportedly been waiting on the beach when the family was brought safely back to shore.

Officials said the family remained in Thailand and continued with their holiday after the incident.