The body of a Russian man who went missing after being swept out to sea by strong waves off Nai Thon Beach on Monday was found on Tuesday evening.
Police received a report of a foreign tourist drowning at the beach in tambon Sakhu of Thalang district at 10.14am on Monday, said Pol Lt Col Akkaraphon Siwilai, an investigator at the Sakhu police station.
Police rushed to the scene and found a Russian woman, identified only as Elizaveta, a friend of the missing man.
She told police that Dmitri Zakutskii, 31, was swimming with friends at around 9am on Monday when a large wave suddenly struck, pulling him out to sea.
Rescue workers, divers and lifeguards were deployed to conduct an urgent search using jet skis. However, they were unable to locate the missing man.
The search resumed on Tuesday and the body was recovered at 5.30pm. It was handed over to the relevant authorities for post-mortem procedures.
Thalang district chief Siwat Rawangkul expressed his deepest condolences to the victim’s family, urging all tourists to heed lifeguards’ safety warnings and avoid swimming during rough sea conditions to prevent further tragedies.