PHUKET — A South Korean snorkeler and two tourists from Britain and Russia died in separate water incidents in southern Thailand this week, Thai authorities said.
Police in Phang Nga’s Khuk Khak district said a 65-year-old South Korean tourist, identified only as Mr. Lee, was pronounced dead Friday after losing consciousness while snorkeling near Island No. 9 in the Similan archipelago.
Lee had traveled from Phuket’s Nai Yang area to join a tour to the Similan Islands on the morning of November 28. Park rangers noticed him floating face down and unresponsive despite wearing a life jacket. Staff pulled him onto a rubber boat and performed CPR while transferring him to a medical boat headed to Ko Miang.
He arrived at Khuk Khak Medical Center at about 2:51 p.m. and was declared dead five minutes later. Doctors could not determine an immediate cause of death and sent the body for a full autopsy at Vachira Phuket Hospital. Police said Lee had a history of heart disease and have contacted the South Korean Embassy to notify his family.
In a separate case, a 37-year-old British man drowned late Saturday morning off Freedom Beach in Phuket’s Patong area.
Police said the victim, identified as Jason from Ipswich, arrived in Phuket with his family on November 19. He and his wife went swimming at Freedom Beach around 10 a.m. on November 29 when he disappeared under the water. Lifeguards pulled him ashore and attempted CPR, but he was later pronounced dead at Patong Hospital. His family told police they do not suspect foul play.
In a separate incident at midday on November 30, Patong police responded to Patong Hospital after a 69-year-old Russian man, identified as Sergey, was pronounced dead following a drowning off Patong Beach.
His companion, Natalia, 47, told police they had been vacationing in Patong since Nov. 18 and planned to stay until Dec. 16. She said Sergey swam every morning as part of his routine. She believed strong currents or a sudden health problem may have caused him to drown.
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