Australians’ love of adventure is coming at a high price, with federal government data showing hundreds of travellers are getting seriously injured, dying or going to jail overseas.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade statistics for the 12-months to May 31, show consular assistance was sought for 660 Aussies who were hospitalised in just five countries, and for another 484 who were arrested.
The top five countries for Australian deaths overseas accounted for 621 lives lost — including 212 in Thailand, 124 in the Philippines and 97 in Indonesia.
Thailand was also the place Aussies were most likely to end up in hospital — with 200 admissions in the last year.
The US was the country in which Australian travellers were most likely to fall foul of the law with 170 arrests — and 53 people jailed.
Deaths and injuries to Aussie travellers in Thailand were up 26 per cent on the previous year, despite Australian visitors to the country falling five per cent.
The “trend” was reflected more broadly in medical repatriations, with insurer Allianz Travel recording an 80 per cent surge in overseas cases.
(Source:-Couriermail.com)