PHUKET — A wealthy British-Australian man was found dead aboard his private yacht anchored off the coast of Thailand’s Phuket island, police said Sunday, as authorities launched an investigation into the cause of death.
Police received a report at about 12.30 on 11 January that a British-Australian man, identified as Graham Patrick Davis, had died aboard his yacht, Synergy Sydney, which was anchored offshore near Khao Kad Beach in Phuket’s Wichit subdistrict, across from the Veranda Resort hotel.
Officers from Wichit Police Station, forensic investigators and a medical examiner from Vachira Phuket Hospital traveled to the scene. The man was found lying on his back on a mattress inside the yacht’s front cabin. There were no visible injuries, no signs of a struggle and no indication the cabin had been searched or disturbed, police said.
A preliminary examination suggested the man had been dead for about one to two days. The exact cause of death has not yet been determined.
Police said the body was discovered by a German national, Matthias Lepke, 54, a friend of the deceased whose yacht was anchored nearby. Lepke told investigators he became concerned when he had not seen his friend for some time and went to check on him around noon. He found his friend dead and alerted hotel staff, who then contacted police.
Local residents told police the man had lived alone aboard the yacht for about 10 years and regularly traveled by sea between Malaysia and Phuket.
The body was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital for a full autopsy to determine the cause of death. Police said they would notify the British and Australian embassies to inform the man’s family and arrange for the body to be released for funeral rites.
Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.