A French family experienced moments of terror off the coast of Thailand after the jet ski they were travelling in capsized and left all three members stranded at sea for more than 16 hours.
The incident happened on Thursday on Koh Samui, one of Thailand's most popular tourist destinations. A 50-year-old father had rented a jet ski for 45 minutes to go for a ride with his two sons. When the family did not return at the appointed time, authorities immediately launched a search and rescue operation. Crews used speedboats and other watercraft to search the waters around the island.
After an overnight search, the family was found about 16 hours later, clinging to the overturned water engine.
Rescue footage shows one of the boys sitting in the front of the vehicle, while the rest are underwater. A local official said the family were exhausted after battling waves all night and swallowing large amounts of seawater. The father and two boys were taken to hospital for check-ups and treatment, and were allowed to leave a few hours later.
