A French family was stranded at sea for more than 16 hours after their rented jet ski capsized off the coast of Thailand.
A 50-year-old father and his young sons were described as pale and exhausted after swallowing a large amount of seawater before being rescued, according to local government official Amorn Chomchoey.
All three were taken to hospital for checks and discharged shortly afterwards.
The father had rented the jet ski for a 45-minute ride on Koh Samui at around 17:00 local time on Thursday. Rescuers were alerted when the jet ski was not returned on time.
Search teams using speedboats and additional jet skis combed waters around Koh Samui and towards the nearby island of Koh Phangan. Efforts were suspended overnight.
The family was found still drifting at sea the following day at around 10:00 local time on Friday.
The father told authorities that rough waves had struck the jet ski and caused the engine to stop towards the end of the rental period.
Rescue footage shows one of the boys sitting on the partially submerged jet ski while his father floats nearby. Both were wearing life jackets, and the father was waving at rescuers.
The boys’ mother and older sister had been waiting on the beach. Officials said the family remained in Thailand and continued their holiday.
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August 15, 2026
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