05-05-2025
Australian dies in freak accident in Phuket after a night out with his wife
An Australian man has died in a horrific accident at his hotel in Thailand while on holiday with his wife.
Sean Collins, 59, was returning from a night out with his wife, Carla Baird, 58, when it was believed he lost his footing on the stairs inside his Phuket hotel just after 1am on Thursday.
Ms Baird told police Mr Collins had walked ahead of her up the stairs, reaching the third floor, while 'staggering'.
She said he slipped before plummeting past her to the first floor.
First responders arrived to find Mr Collins lying facedown on the tiled floor at the base of the stairwell, surrounded by a pool of blood.
Medics administered CPR and rushed him to Patong Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.
Mr Collins and his wife went sightseeing earlier in the day before ending the evening drinking in the Patong district of the island.
They were due to check out of the hotel and return to Australia the following day.
Patong Police Lieutenant Wisanu Chumee said officers collected CCTV footage from the hotel and were investigating the incident.
He said the hotel's receptionist had heard a noise shortly after the couple arrived home.
'The receptionist saw them walk past,' he said.
'Five minutes later, staff heard a sound like someone falling from a height so they went to investigate.
'(They) found the man lying on the floor and bleeding with his wife nearby.'
One image from the scene, too graphic to publish, showed Mr Collins in a black singlet and shorts on his stomach on the ground floor.
A thick puddle of blood had massed around his head at the bottom of the stairwell.
