'Briton among Thai cave dead'
Briton among eight people - six tourists and two guides - killed in Thailand cave flood
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Sunday, 14, Oct 2007 02:29
A British man is among eight people killed after a cave flood in Thailand, according to local reports.
The man is reported to have died while trekking through the Khao Sok national park in the Surat Thani province.
Four Swiss nationals and a German boy were also killed from the flash floods yesterday in southern Thailand, according to police. The tourist group's two local guides have also reportedly been killed.
A British woman is reported to have been the only survivor.
Thirayudh Mungpaisan, deputy chief of the national park, said the Briton was found this afternoon after spending nearly 20 hours trapped in the flooded cave.
"The flood waters had taken her up to the roof of the cave and when the water receded she was stuck up there and couldn't get down," Mr Mungpaisan said.
"When she heard the rescuers she called for help and they found her."
The Bangkok Post newspaper reported that the seven tourists and their two Thai guides travelled by boat from Ratchapraphra dam to the cave yesterday afternoon.
The area inside the cave was flooded after a heavy downpour about an hour before the party of tourists began their journey.
Pichan Kanayasiri, a police lieutenant colonel, said the water gushed into the cave, which was near a waterfall.
"The tourists were inside the cave and didn't know what was happening outside. They were trapped inside the cave," Lieutenant Colonel Pichan told the AFP news agency.
A Thai government official will travel to the Surat Thani province today to launch an investigation into the tragedy.