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| Briton describes Thai flood ordeal | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A British woman has described how she saw her boyfriend swept to his death by a flash flood in a cave in Thailand. | A British woman has described how she saw her boyfriend swept to his death by a flash flood in a cave in Thailand. |
| Helena Carroll, 21, from Solihull, clung to a rock ledge but John Cullen, 24, decided to enter the water. | Helena Carroll, 21, from Solihull, clung to a rock ledge but John Cullen, 24, decided to enter the water. |
| "He said 'I love you' and then just let go. And I didn't see him. The water was just so strong. And it was just rising and rising," Miss Carroll said. | "He said 'I love you' and then just let go. And I didn't see him. The water was just so strong. And it was just rising and rising," Miss Carroll said. |
| Five other tourists and two Thai guides also drowned when the cave in Khao Sok national park flooded on Saturday. | Five other tourists and two Thai guides also drowned when the cave in Khao Sok national park flooded on Saturday. |
| The group had been exploring the caves when heavy rainfall caused flash floods, which sent water surging into the cave. | The group had been exploring the caves when heavy rainfall caused flash floods, which sent water surging into the cave. |
| I came up and was trying to breathe because I'd been under the water so long Survivor Helena Carroll | I came up and was trying to breathe because I'd been under the water so long Survivor Helena Carroll |
| Miss Carroll said: "One minute I was in what I thought was the most beautiful place in the world. The next thing there is death all around me." | Miss Carroll said: "One minute I was in what I thought was the most beautiful place in the world. The next thing there is death all around me." |
| She told Reuters TV the group were halfway through the cave looking at bats and spiders when water began to rush through. | She told Reuters TV the group were halfway through the cave looking at bats and spiders when water began to rush through. |
| "My boyfriend John turned around and said we're going to die, we're going to die. And I said no, no, no. | "My boyfriend John turned around and said we're going to die, we're going to die. And I said no, no, no. |
| "So we climbed up on to a rock - but it wasn't high enough. | "So we climbed up on to a rock - but it wasn't high enough. |
| "I lost my grip and I went off with the current and then I found somewhere to hold on to - and I came up and was trying to breathe because I'd been under the water so long. | "I lost my grip and I went off with the current and then I found somewhere to hold on to - and I came up and was trying to breathe because I'd been under the water so long. |
| "And then John popped up and I was like 'You're there. Thank God you're there'. And then I kept on climbing up and John said 'I'm going to go with current'. | "And then John popped up and I was like 'You're there. Thank God you're there'. And then I kept on climbing up and John said 'I'm going to go with current'. |
| Miss Carroll was alone in the cave for hours before she was rescued | |
| "I said 'don't, sit here with me' and he was like 'no, no, no, no'." | "I said 'don't, sit here with me' and he was like 'no, no, no, no'." |
| It was then that he let go thinking the current would take him out and he could bring help to rescue me, she said. | |
| Meanwhile, she remained in the cave for hours before rescuers eventually found her. | |
| Speaking on Thai TV station TITV, she said she was shouting 'Help me! Help me!' all night before she caught sight of a light. | Speaking on Thai TV station TITV, she said she was shouting 'Help me! Help me!' all night before she caught sight of a light. |
| District official Sitichai Thaicharoen said Miss Carroll was rescued on Sunday after she was found clinging to the cave's roof. | District official Sitichai Thaicharoen said Miss Carroll was rescued on Sunday after she was found clinging to the cave's roof. |
| She has received treatment in a Thai hospital and is expected to return to the UK on Tuesday. | |
| The couple, both from the Midlands, were one month into a 12-month trip overseas when they were caught up in the floods. | |
| On Monday, Stephen Cullen praised his brother's "brave and courageous actions". | |
| Speaking on behalf of the family, he said John died "trying to do the right thing" and had made them very proud. | |
| John was a bright, passionate young man who embraced life and he and Helena were very much in love, he said. | |
| 'Trapped' | 'Trapped' |
| According to police Lieutenant Colonel Pichan Kanayasiri, the heavy rainfall caused flash floods, which sent water surging into the cave situated close to a waterfall. | According to police Lieutenant Colonel Pichan Kanayasiri, the heavy rainfall caused flash floods, which sent water surging into the cave situated close to a waterfall. |
| "The tourists were inside the cave and didn't know what was happening outside. They were trapped inside the cave," Lt Col Pichan told AFP. | "The tourists were inside the cave and didn't know what was happening outside. They were trapped inside the cave," Lt Col Pichan told AFP. |
| Among the eight dead were a 10-year-old German boy and four Swiss nationals. | Among the eight dead were a 10-year-old German boy and four Swiss nationals. |
| A senior Thai government official was due to travel to the Surat Thani province on Sunday to begin an investigation into the incident, the Bangkok Post reported. | A senior Thai government official was due to travel to the Surat Thani province on Sunday to begin an investigation into the incident, the Bangkok Post reported. |
| 'Warning' | 'Warning' |
| Chalermsak Wanichsombat, director-general of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department told the paper officials at the park had warned tourists not to travel because of heavy downpours in the area. | Chalermsak Wanichsombat, director-general of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department told the paper officials at the park had warned tourists not to travel because of heavy downpours in the area. |
| A Belgian tourist was killed by a flash flood in the same cave several years ago. | A Belgian tourist was killed by a flash flood in the same cave several years ago. |
| The province's governor, Winai Phopradit, told the Associated Press news agency he had ordered the national park to close during the current rainy season. | The province's governor, Winai Phopradit, told the Associated Press news agency he had ordered the national park to close during the current rainy season. |
| "We have signs both in English and Thai warning tourists not to go into the cave during heavy rains," he said. | "We have signs both in English and Thai warning tourists not to go into the cave during heavy rains," he said. |