The tranquillity of Jomtien Beach in Pattaya was disrupted early yesterday morning when a lifeless large sea turtle was found washed ashore.
The unusual sight was reported to the special operations officers of Pattaya municipal and sea rescue personnel by tourists around 12.46am. The unfortunate discovery occurred near Soi Jomtien 10, within the Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri. Upon receiving the distressing report, a swift response was initiated by the authorities.
Upon arrival at the scene, they came across a large green turtle carcass lying motionless on the sandy beach. The dead turtle, estimated to have been aged between seven to 10 years old, was quite a large specimen.
Its body, was approximately 80 centimetres in length, and weighed between 50 to 60 kilogrammes. The turtle’s shell bore deep wounds, hinting at possible trauma. The body had begun to decompose, and a distinctive foul odour hung heavily in the air around the carcass, suggesting that it had been deceased for a few days.
Teerasak Sunthararachun, a 28 year old local, recounted the discovery. He said that the group of tourists had stumbled upon the sea turtle and approached him for help, initially believing the creature to be alive. However, the unpleasant odour emanating from the turtle indicated otherwise to Teerasak. Recognising the gravity of the situation, he made the decision to alert the authorities to the incident, reported Pattaya News.
“I knew it was already dead due to its unpleasant odour. The tourists thought the turtle was still alive and came to me for assistance.”
For the purpose of a thorough investigation into the unfortunate demise of the sea turtle, the officers proceeded to remove the carcass from the beach. The body will undergo further examination to ascertain the exact cause of death, shedding light on this tragic incident and possibly helping to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
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