Pattaya, Thailand-
A HORRIFYING video of a base jumpers death in Pattaya last year that we originally reported on here has reignited calls for a notorious website hosting gruesome death footage to be shut down.
The 33-year-old British man, Nathan Odinson, died last year after his parachute failed to open during a jump from a 29-storey tower in Pattaya. A Thai friend filmed the tragedy, and the footage was initially posted on local social media before being uploaded to the controversial website, which showcases real-life deaths, executions, and extreme violence. The Pattaya News has chosen not to link directly to the website to avoid giving them further traffic or to upset certain readers.
His grieving brother, Ed Harrison, condemned the site’s users, saying, “I don’t suppose these forum members would want videos of their own family members shared like this.”
Now, as the UK’s online regulator, Ofcom, gains new powers to crack down on illegal content, bereaved families are urging authorities to shut down the site, which has more than three million members and has been linked to radicalised extremists and school shooters.
From today, all online platforms must have systems in place to remove illegal material under the Online Safety Act. Websites that fail to comply could face fines of up to 18 million UK or court orders to block access.
However, with the death website hosted in the US and run by anonymous administrators, shutting it down remains a challenge. The site’s admin team said they “routinely receive reports from government agencies” and would give Ofcom’s concerns “full attention.”
Critics, including Mike Haines, whose brother David Haines was murdered by Islamic State in 2014, argue that authorities are not doing enough. The full uncensored video of his killing is on the site.
“Every second we delay shutting this site down, we are endangering our youth,” said Mr Haines, adding that the site is “like a drug” that pushes viewers toward more extreme content.
A breeding ground for killers
The website has been linked to real-life murders and school shootings.
- US school shooters Natalie Rupnow, 15, and Solomon Henderson, 17, were both active members.
- UK murderer Nicholas Prosper, 19, who killed his mother and two siblings, was found to have an interest in mass shootings.
- Users share “school shooting compilation” videos, potentially fueling further attacks.
Dr Olivia Brown, an extremism researcher, warns that constant exposure to such violent content normalises extreme behaviour.
“What might have seemed like an impossible solution to what someone might be feeling could start to feel like a viable option,” she said.
The site does not just contain videos of violent crime but it also hosts disturbing footage of tragic accidents, including the Pattaya base jump death and other fatal incidents worldwide.
Videos are categorised into grotesque themes, including people being burned alive, decapitated, or crushed by trains.
Although some content may not be illegal, the impact on families and young viewers is devastating.
Ofcom says it “won’t hesitate to take enforcement action” against platforms that fail to act, but with the website operating outside the UK, shutting it down remains an uphill battle.
For now, the disturbing videos remain online, causing anguish for grieving families and raising serious concerns over the dark side of the internet.
