A 37-year-old British man was found floating in the sea at the southern end of Patong Beach in what police have described as a drowning incident.
At 10am on Friday, Capt. Yingyong Chuaykit, of the Patong Police, was informed that the body of a man had been pulled from the sea at Patong Beach.
Upon arrival at Patong Beach, police were informed that at 8am the man, name withheld until his family can be informed, was walking, in what witnesses described, as a drunken state. As he walked along Patong Beach, witnesses tried to tell him to go back to his room.
Their request was ignored and the man went alone into the sea and disappeared.
Phuket lifeguards went out to find the man but were unsuccessful.
Soon after a scuba diving team from the Kusoldham Rescue Foundation arrived and went to inspect the area where the man was last seen. After about 20 minutes of searching, they found the man floating about one to one-and-a-half meters below the surface.
The man was taken to shore where rescue workers attempted to save him but were unsuccessful.
Upon investigating, police found that the man had arrived in Phuket on April 15 and was set to depart on April 22.
The British Consul has been informed and the man’s body is currently being held at Patong Hospital.
