I Survived History's Deadliest Tsunami | Minutes With

Andy Chaggar was 27 and travelling the world with his partner, Nova, when the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004 destroyed their beach bungalow in Khao Lak, Thailand. This is his story of survival, loss and what came after. In this episode of Minutes With, tsunami survivor Andy Chaggar relives the morning that changed his life forever. After a year of saving, Andy and Nova had set off on a round-the-world trip, travelling through Hong Kong, China, Vietnam and Cambodia before arriving in Thailand to spend Christmas with friends. Their bungalow in Khao Lak was just 30 metres from the beach. On Boxing Day morning, Andy woke to the building shaking and a roar like a jet engine. Moments later, the first wave hit. Andy describes being dragged through the water among debris, struck by an oil drum and pinned against a concrete pillar on a hotel building site. That pillar caused his worst injuries but probably saved his life. Trapped and badly hurt, he watched the second wave stop just inches below him, and he spent around four hours waiting for help. Two strangers eventually carried him to safety, even as warnings of another wave spread. From an overwhelmed hospital, Andy watched the death toll climb on the news and first heard the word "tsunami". Six months later, he received confirmation that Nova had been killed. He talks openly about grief, about returning to Thailand to help rebuild a fishing village, and about how that experience led him to found the charity International Disaster Volunteers. He also reflects on life 22 years later: his wife and two children, his work, and his close bond with Nova's parents, whom his children call grandma and granddad. 👀 Welcome to LADbible Stories - the home of raw interviews, real people, and powerful documentaries. From Minutes With and The Meet, to the brutally honest Honesty Box, we shine a light on untold human experiences. Subscribe now for content that moves you. 📲 Subscribe to LADbible Stories: @ladbiblestories 📺 Want more from the LADbible universe? LADbible Entertainment: @ladbible SPORTbible: @SPORTbible