KOH SAMUI — A 24-year-old Russian tourist was swept into the sea by a massive wave on Friday at a popular viewpoint in Koh Samui, Thailand. The incident occurred near the rocky area below Laad Koh viewpoint in Moo 6, Bo Phut District, Surat Thani Province .
Kamilla Beliatskaya was last seen struggling in the water, but rescue efforts were hampered by dangerous sea conditions, with waves reaching heights of 2-3 meters. Jet ski operators had already removed their vehicles from the beach earlier that day due to hazardous conditions.
According to CCTV footage reviewed by police, Beliatskaya arrived at the viewpoint parking lot in a red car at 12:57 p.m. She was seen retrieving a pink foam mat from her trunk before walking alone down to the rocky area below the viewpoint. Shortly after, she was swept off the rocks by a powerful wave. Bo Phut Police Station received the initial report at 1:30 p.m.
Rescue teams faced significant challenges in their response. By the time they arrived at the scene approximately 15 minutes later, the tourist had disappeared. Only her pink foam mat was spotted floating in the water. The search operation had to be temporarily suspended after 30 minutes due to increasingly dangerous wave conditions.
Chaiyaporn Subprasert, head of the Samui Rescue Center, emphasized that warning systems were in place across the island’s beaches. “During monsoon season, we constantly warn tourists, especially at high-risk areas like Chaweng and Lamai beaches, where red flags indicate no swimming,” he said. “While the incident location isn’t a swimming area but rather a viewpoint for scenery, the victim may have been caught off guard by the unexpected wave surge.”
In response to the incident, Samui City Municipality has closed access to the rocky area below Laad Koh viewpoint. Local authorities have established a marine search and rescue center to coordinate ongoing efforts to locate the missing tourist.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by monsoon conditions, with authorities urging visitors to exercise extreme caution and avoid rocky coastal areas during periods of high waves.
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