Latest news with #PhuketTouristAssistanceCentre
Sky News AU
12-05-2025
- Sky News AU
Second Australian tourist death in days in Thailand after body of 41-year-old man found floating in water
Another Australian tourist has died in Thailand, after the body of a man was found floating in water days after he was reported missing. The man, who was 41-years-old, is understood to have been from South Australia and was flagged to be missing in Phuket by his wife on May 7. On May 10, a body was spotted at Freedom Beach, a 300-metre-long white sand swimming spot in Phuket and near Patong. The head lifeguard at the beach alerted authorities about the discovery, with the body seen about 20 metres from the shore. Karon Police Station officers arrived to find the body floating during strong surf conditions. The tourist, who was only wearing black underpants when he was found, was pulled from the water by emergency responders using ropes. The man is the second Australian tourist to have died in the past week in Thailand. Police Lieutenant Colonel Wiwat Chamnankit suggested the man who had reportedly travelled to Thailand on April 20 had drowned while swimming. "We believe that the sea currents were too strong for him to swim back to land,' the officer said. 'Tourists should not go in the sea during these conditions when there are strong waves, unless they are with an experienced guide.' The 41-year-old's family has been notified his body has been found. His death follows the drowning of a 22-year-old Melbourne man who was reportedly swimming while intoxicated last week. The man was on the Marinda 2 tour boat off the island of Koh Racha Yai, a popular snorkelling location near Phuket, on Tuesday (local time). He reportedly jumped off into the water, trying to paddle but was dragged away by strong currents. Police say there were six others on board the boat at the time. The Phuket Tourist Assistance Centre had received an alert of the drowning and assistance was sent to the scene in response, local media reports. A rescue vessel and medical team, consisting of doctors and nurses trained in emergency maritime response, arrived on the scene to find the victim unconscious and unresponsive. They immediately provided CPR and eventually detected a pulse. After being rushed back to shore, he was transferred to an ambulance and taken to Chalong Hospital in Phuket, but he was pronounced dead in the afternoon.
Sky News AU
09-05-2025
- Sky News AU
Australian tourist, 22, drowns while reportedly swimming intoxicated off Thailand's island of Koh Racha Yai
A 22-year-old Melbourne man has drowned while reportedly swimming intoxicated in Thailand earlier this week. The man was on the Marinda 2 tour boat off the island of Koh Racha Yai, a popular snorkelling location near Phuket, on Tuesday (local time). He reportedly jumped off into the water, trying to paddle but was dragged down by strong currents, according to Police say there were six others on board the boat at the time. Just before 2.30pm, the Phuket Tourist Assistance Centre received an alert of the drowning and assistance was sent to the scene in response, local media reports. A rescue vessel and medical team, consisting of doctors and nurses trained in emergency maritime response, arrived on the scene to find the victim unconscious and responsive. They immediately administered CPR and were eventually able to detect a pulse. After being rushed back to shore, he was transferred to an ambulance and taken to Chalong Hospital in Phuket. The trip may have taken up to an hour and 15 minutes. The man was pronounced dead at 3.53pm. Underwater currents around Racha Yai can be dangerous for inexperienced swimmers, according to Phuket News. Police lieutenant colonel Kanen Somrak told local media the man was an Australian national, and there had been seven foreigners including the victim. 'The victim had consumed a large amount of alcohol before entering the water. He was reportedly intoxicated and repeatedly jumped in and out of the sea before eventually drowning,' he said. 'No illegal substances were found at the scene. Only empty alcohol beverage bottles were discovered.' Local authorities contacted the Australian embassy to inform the man's family of his death.
