American tourist fractures her back after plunging off a cliff to escape sex attack in Thailand: report

A YOUNG tourist is seriously injured after falling 45 metres down a cliff in a Thai jungle trying to escape a sex attacker.

Hannah Gavios says she fractured her back in Thailand when a man tried to attack her. Picture: Facebook/Hannah Gavios

A 23-YEAR-OLD American woman says she fractured her back falling 45m down a cliff in Thailand during a desperate attempt to flee from a sex attacker, according to a report.

The New York Post reports Hannah Gavios got lost at Railay Beach in the resort of Krabi on September 1 — a day after arriving in the country — and sought help at a local tourist shop.

A worker at the store offered to help her get back to her hotel but instead led her up a pitch-black mountain in the jungle, where he attacked her.

“I really thought I was going to die,” the New York woman said, according to The Daily Mail. “It was dark around 11pm and the only way to get back to my accommodation was by crossing the cliffs.”

Hannah Gavios, 23, says she fractured her back while trying to escape a sex attacker. Picture: Facebook/Hannah Gavios

Miss Gavios, who has been teaching in Vietnam, said she didn’t have a good feeling about the man but relented because she was tired.

“I’d been travelling for 16 hours so I guess I wasn’t feeling myself,” she said. “While we were walking, he grabbed me and was holding me down and trying to take off my clothes.”

The horrified woman said she punched the crazed attacker — and also went for his ear.

“I was biting his ear so hard, it almost came off. His ear was half torn off,” she said. “He was in pain and asked me to stop, so we shook hands and he stopped but I was still nervous and he was still trying to harass me so there was no choice but to run.”

But the panicked and disoriented woman found herself tumbling off a cliff.

“I was honestly thinking I wouldn’t survive,” she said. “I hit my head a few times and landed with a big bump. I was screaming in pain. It was the most painful thing ever.

Hannah Gavios said she punched the crazed attacker and also bit his ear. Picture: Facebook/Hannah Gavios

Miss Gavios fractured her spine and suffered head injuries in the horrific fall.

“I felt like a total vegetable. I felt completely vulnerable. I couldn’t move anything,” she said.

To make matters worse, the pursuing monster — identified as 28-year-old Apai Ruengvorn — caught up with her and allegedly sexually molested the young woman as she lay helpless.

“He heard me screaming and moaning and he came down and climbed down the mountain and starting crying and praying,” she said.

She begged him to call for help. He appeared to call someone on his phone but no one showed up.

“I was stuck with this crazy person. I was in the woods in the bushes with wild snakes crawling on me while he was still continuing to harass me,” she continued.

“He got on top of me. He took off his pants and masturbated on me,” she recounted. “He didn’t rape me but he did everything else. I really thought I was going to die.”

Miss Gavios tried to remain calm and avoid screaming to prevent him from choking her.

“As soon as it got lighter I started calling for help. He kept saying, ‘No police! No police!’” she said.

Hannah Gavios, 23, says she was sexually molested by the man as she lay seriously injured … https://t.co/NE3cleXv7u pic.twitter.com/0IWgBt1zGQ

— Ayekoo (@AyekooTV) September 6, 2016

Ruengvorn left after a couple of hours, but returned later with other people who took the battered woman to a hospital, where her distraught parents have arrived to her bedside.

Ruengvorn, who has confessed to the shocking crime, was charged with committing obscene behaviour toward another person and causing serious injury.

“The suspect admitted that he became aroused and tried to molest the woman,” police Lt Songpol Bunchai said.

“I’m taking one day at a time. But I’m really glad my legs aren’t broken. I want to stay in Asia and return to teaching in Vietnam,” Miss Gavios said.

Gavios, who describes herself on Facebook as an English teacher with Globe Education Link, has been receiving messages of sympathy and support.

Hannah Gavios, 23, has been teaching in Vietnam. Picture: Facebook/Hannah Gavios

This story originally appeared in The New York Post.