Two Vietnamese tourists – a mother and a daughter – drowned on Sunday while swimming in the sea off the island of Phuket.
High waves and strong winds were to blame for the tragedy that took place at Naithon Beach in Phuket, according to Capt. Suporn Muangkhai of Sakhu Police Station. The victims were a 52-year-old woman and her 16-year-old daughter.
At around 7:15am on Sunday, local police and rescue workers were alerted about the accident and rushed to the scene. They found the mother and daughter being swept up by high waves about 20 meters away from the shore. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, or CPR, was performed on the two, but they later died at a hospital.
Suporn said the tourists ignored the red flag erected along the beach that warned tourists not to swim due to the stormy seas.
The mother and daughter reportedly came from the Dong Da district of Hanoi and had traveled to Phuket with their relatives to meet business partners.
Police have notified the Vietnamese embassy of the incident. An embassy official said they are coordinating with Thai authorities to assist them in repatriating the bodies as soon as possible.
Just a few weeks ago, two tourists – a Frenchman and a Spanish woman – drowned at Koh Chang’s Lonely Beach after they went swimming. Police said the duo ignored the red-flagged signs that warned visitors not to swim.
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