Endurance athlete Nick Thomas has died while attempting to swim across the English Channel. He was not wearing a wet suit.
According to the Channel Swimming Association, there have been 2,073 successful swims of the English Channel since 1875, including 72 so far in 2016.
But that shouldn’t fool anyone into thinking that it’s an easy feat.
Thomas had been swimming for about 16 hours, the Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation (another organization that certifies these swims) said.
He was pulled onto an escort vessel .75 miles short of completing the 21+mile swim. The crew of the boat administered CPR and was met by an ambulance at the harbor in Calais, France. He was later pronounced dead in a hospital.
Thomas, an Englishman, successfully completed a swim across the Channel in 2014.
Thomas was a well-known figure in the endurance athletics community. He was an Ironman and Ultraman triathlete.
Temperatures in the Channel this time of year range from 14 to 18 degrees Celcius (57 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit). Thomas was 45.
There are so many disturbing comments in this thread. The moderator should moderate more aggressively. Making fun of a tragedy is not acceptable and is disgusting.
sad stuff. and sad to read people’s reactions. thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Nick. and “there is nothing like swimming in the English channel”
I swam the English Channel…in a wetsuit……in a boat…..OK, it was a cruise ship, and I was wearing a tux. The important thing is I survived it. .
endurance swimmer? he didnt even get half way… how did the pilot boats not see a problem before it was to late? that was 100% avoidable
such a tragedy. best thoughts to his grieving family.
This should be a warning. Don’t make a point of doing stupid things that can get you killed for nothing. There is no gain in being dead.
He must have shown some kind of side effects you would think.
FATHER GOD PLEASE BLESS THE SOUL OF NICK THOMAS AND PLEASE BE WITH HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS AS THEY GO THRU THE TRAGIC LOSS OF THEIR LOVED ONE. PLEASE GIVE EACH OF THEM YOUR HOLY PEACE, CALM AND COMFORT. IN JESUS HOLY NAME I PRAY. AMEN
Amen! May God rest his soul.
Please stop yelling.
Pray it, don’t spray it.