PHUKET — A romantic getaway to Phuket turned tragic for a Russian couple when powerful waves swept them out to sea during a midnight swim, with the man pushing his girlfriend to safety before drowning himself.
Rescue teams from the Phuket Charitable Diving Unit and Saku Subdistrict Administrative Organization established a special search operation for 35-year-old Denis early on August 21, after his 24-year-old Russian girlfriend Kamila reported that her boyfriend had disappeared in the waters between Banana Beach and Nai Thon Beach in Saku Subdistrict, Thalang District.
According to Kamila’s account, the couple entered the sea around 12:30 a.m. when large waves suddenly struck. In his final moments, Denis pushed her toward shore to safety, but he vanished beneath the waves. Initial rescue efforts were hampered by darkness and rough seas that prevented boats from launching.
At daybreak, search teams split into two groups: one deployed rubber boats to search offshore waters while the other combed rocky areas and the shoreline on foot. After hours of searching, authorities discovered Denis’s body at 3:00 p.m., washed ashore near the location where he had disappeared.
Police from Saku Station conducted preliminary examinations before coordinating with forensic doctors from Vachira Phuket Hospital for an autopsy. Kamila confirmed the victim’s identity, and authorities have contacted the Russian Embassy before transferring the body to Vachira Phuket Hospital for a detailed post-mortem examination.
The incident highlights the dangers of swimming in Phuket’s waters during rough conditions, particularly at night when visibility is poor and rescue operations are severely limited.
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