A shocking high-speed motorcycle collision in Rawai, Phuket, claims three lives, leaving a young Thai woman fighting for survival. Gruesome scenes greeted responders as the fiery crash unfolded. Investigation is underway amidst rising road fatalities on the island.
Police are carrying out an investigation into a horrific motorcycle accident in Rawai Phuket early on Sunday morning. The fiery crash between two motorbikes left three people dead including two foreign nationals. A young Thai woman is fighting for her life. The deceased foreigners were Russian and Swedish men who lost their lives together with a 44-year-old Thai woman. Locals passing by at the scene of the crash as well as emergency responders were confronted with gruesome sights. The motorbike crash is understood to have been extremely forceful leading to an explosion and fire. Both bikes were carrying Thai women as pillion passengers travelling at recklessly high speeds.
Phuket was the scene of another horrific motorbike accident on Sunday.
In the early hours of March 24, 2024, tragedy struck on Wiset Road in Rawai, Phuket.
At length, it happened in a fiery collision between two motorcycles. Reports suggest that one motorbike careered into a layby after making contact with another, causing a massive explosion.
Limbs strewn across the main road in Rawai in the early hours of the morning as emergency responders and police were greeted with a very gruesome scene
In the meantime, hideous details have emerged of one of the motorbike riders having both legs sheared off.
They were found scattered across the main road and were visible to passing traffic before emergency services arrived.
Rescuers from the Rawai Subdistrict Municipality picked them up and transported them to Chalong Hospital.
Such was the force of the impact.
The two motorbikes, in turn, caused a chain of events which impacted other motorcycles. However, the loss of life and serious injuries were confined to the first two bikes.
Both appear to have been travelling together with foreign male riders and female pillion passengers. The motorbikes were driven by a Russian and Swedish national respectively.
Both men perished in the impact and subsequent conflagration. One Thai woman was among the dead while another was very seriously injured.
Horror smash occurred at 2.48 am in front of a local roadside restaurant which was closed at the time
The incident claimed the lives of three riders.
It occurred at approximately 2:48 am, unfolded in front of Pan’s Kitchen restaurant opposite Soi Salika. The business was fortunately closed at the time
Certainly, police swiftly responded to the scene.
They discovered the aftermath of the devastating collision. After that, they reported that the smash was between a Phuket-registered Honda Click motorbike and a blue Bangkok-registered Yamaha YZF-R1. In brief, this was a powerful 998cc sports motorcycle.
The collision left both vehicles severely damaged, with three mangled bodies of the deceased upon arrival.
Video footage of the accident suggests that one collided with the other as they raced along the road. Both motorbikes consequently lost their balance, flinging their driver to their deaths.
Indeed, some parts of the CCTV footage are rather harrowing to watch.
Police and rescuers were shocked at the sight that greeted them in the darkness of the early morning.
Officers confirmed that these were a 36-year-old Russian man, a 52-year-old Swedish man, and a 44-year-old Thai woman.
18-year-old Thai woman taken to hospital. She was reported to be suffering from devastating injuries
An 18-year-old Thai woman, also involved in the accident, sustained devastating injuries. Afterwards, she was transported at speed by emergency services to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the Russian man and the 18-year-old Thai woman were riding the Yamaha YZF-R1.
Phuket to enforce more control on motorbike rentals as 15th foreigner this year dies in Karon area
Similarly, the Swedish man and the 44-year-old Thai woman, a resident of Rawai, were aboard the Honda Click.
Police have opened a criminal investigation.
The probe will look into the circumstances surrounding the disastrous crash. Undoubtedly, CCTV footage will be examined. At this time, it is being collected by police investigators.
Phuket police have already released the identity and nationality of those who perished.
Phuket officials are working with foreign embassies
Meanwhile, authorities are coordinated with the respective foreign embassies. In turn, they will notify their families and assist them with the necessary legal procedures.
The deceased have been identified as follows:
Mr Kristofer Joseph, 36 years old, Russian nationality (rider of the big Yamaha bike).
Mr Magnus Stefan Anderson, 52 years old, Swedish nationality (rider of the Honda Click motorcycle).
Ms Kanokkarn Tapha, 44 years old (passenger on the back of the Honda Click).
The injured Thai woman is Ms Phattharawarin Phontham.
She is a resident of Village No. 2, Sao Phao Subdistrict, Sichon District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, in Southern Thailand.
Ms Phattharawarin was the passenger on the second motorbike ridden by the Russian tourist Mr Joseph.
Latest crash comes with a rising death toll in Phuket
Rescuers from Rawai Subdistrict Municipality promptly transported her to Vachira Phuket Hospital for urgent medical care.
Additionally, two parked motorcycles, registration numbers KTH 48 Phuket and KTH 159 Phuket, were found damaged at the accident scene.
In the meantime, shocked police have highlighted the force of this crash certainly suggesting the motorbikes were travelling at high speed. These damaged motorbikes highlight the scale of the impact.
The tragic early morning smash adds to a disturbing trend regarding road accidents in Phuket.
At length, the national road safety agency, the Thai RSC reports 48 fatalities and 6,605 injuries on Phuket’s roads. This is only since the beginning of 2024.
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