SURAT THANI: A navy draftee who jumped off a ferry in a suicide bid was rescued by the crew of a fishing boat late on Saturday night - after four hours drifting in the sea off Don Sak district.
The man was identified as Phanuphon Thepprathana, 22, a draftee attached to the navy's marine task force and based in Chon Buri's Sattahip district.
Phanuphon was a passenger on board Seatran Discovery Ferry 9, which departed from Ko Samui district at about 5pm on Saturday, heading for the Don Sak boat landing on the mainland.
While the ferry was about 5 nautical miles from Don Sak, Phanuphon was seen jumping overboard into the sea by some other passengers, who quickly alerted the captain.
The captain informed the Don Sak boat pier of what had happened, turned the ferry around and circled the area twice in an effort to locate Phanuphon. A nearby boat from Raja Ferry also joined the search, but he was not found.
After the Seatran ferry landed at the Don Sak pier, the passengers who witnessed the incident were interviewed by Pol Lt Col Suthi Niti-akarapong, the Don Sak police chief. After all the passengers disembarked, a black backpack was left on the ferry unclaimed.
The police examined the backpack and found a blue armband of the navy's marine task force, Phanuphon's name tag and a mobile phone.
The phone showed that at 6.18pm Phanuphon sent a LINE message to his mother which read: "Mother, I love you very much. Please look after Ton Pang. I am good for nothing. Thanks for everything you have done for me. I hope I will be your son again in the next life." There was an incoming call at 6.27pm, which was not received.
Several hours later, at about 10pm, a Don Sak charity foundation received a radio message from a fishing boat that a young man had been plucked from the sea about 8 nautical miles (about 13 kilometres) off the mainland.
The fishing boat brought the man ashore at about 2am on Sunday.
Pol Lt Col Suthi went to the boat pier and discovered the man was Phanuphon, who appeared exhausted after about four hours drifting in the sea. He was taken to Don Sak Hospital for treatment.
His parents in Ko Samui district were informed of what happened to their son.
A subsequent police investigation revealed that Phanuphon had been divorced from his wife for about one year, with their two-year-old son in the care of his mother. Phanuphon was conscripted into the navy in Nov 2016 and based in Chon Buri's Sattahip district. He returned to his home on Ko Samui on Dec 29 for the New Year, and was on the way back to resume his military service when he tried to take his own life.
