‘Felt like days’: Tourist rescued from sewer in Thailand

A tourist has been pulled from Thailand’s underground sewers after he fell in a manhole and got lost for hours.

An American tourist has been rescued from sewers in Thailand after wandering around underground for hours.

Johnathan Vaimaona says he fell into a manhole while walking back to his hotel in Pattaya, which is famous for its night-life, sex industry and has been dubbed “Sin City”.

The 36-year-old was eventually heard calling for help, unable to climb back out.

A 26-year-old security officer said he was the first to hear Mr Vaimaona pleas from below.

“I was on my way to a convenience store for a drink when I suddenly heard a foreigner shouting,” he said, according to video news agency Newsflare.

“I looked around but didn’t see anyone there. But when I looked at the pavement, I saw a man peeking at me from the drain.”

Tourist Johnathan Vaimaona recovers after wandering around underground for hours. Picture: Newsflare

Rescuers pulled Mr Vaimaona out of the sewer after a security officer heard his pleas for help. Picture: Newsflare

In a video, rescuers could be seen using power tools to remove a grate, revealing a shirtless Mr Vaimaona in the sewers below.

He appeared exhausted and covered in muck as he was lifted back onto the street and given water.

“It felt like days,” he told the rescuers, who then hosed him down as he sat on the ground.

He said it felt like he had been down there for days. Picture: Newsflare

The 36-year-old tourist said he had come from Hawaii. Picture: Newsflare

Mr Vaimaona said he was from Hawaii and had been outside a hotel when he fell.

He couldn’t remember the name of the hotel but was “Grand something” and “had the boats on there”.

“I just fell down a hole and I didn’t know where I was going. I came up on the other end,” he told police.

Mr Vaimaona could not remember the name of his hotel. Picture: Newsflare

According to Newsflare, the police said they discovered inconsistencies in Mr Vaimaona’s statements after verifying his entry documents and conducting further investigation.

They said he was speaking in a confusing manner and claimed to be the “head of athletes from Cambodia”.

The police said they would do a more thorough investigation into what happened.