A Russian traveler drowned while swimming in the sea off Patong Beach on Phuket, with the tragedy unfolding before his wife. The incident was reported by Phuket News and later confirmed by local authorities and witnesses on the shore.
At the moment the drowning occurred, the wife stood on the sand nearby, unable to reach him in time as the surf battered the couple. People staying at a nearby Patong hotel who were on the beach early in the morning observed the unfolding event and moved quickly to help, but the current and waves proved too powerful for any immediate rescue.
One account suggests that the tourist, while on vacation in Russia, may have lost his sense of direction while swimming and became overwhelmed by the strong waves. In another version, the man found himself carried farther from the shore by the surf, making assistance from those on land impossible as the water continued to pull him out to sea.
The authorities were notified around 07:45 local time, which corresponds to 03:45 Moscow time, when waves pushed the body onto the beach and bystanders reported the tragedy. Local residents later located the Russian man’s body and notified the appropriate agencies, prompting a formal response and investigation into the incident to better understand the conditions that contributed to the drowning.
Earlier, reports indicate a separate incident in the Umhlanga region of South Africa involving an elderly tourist from Russia who entered the water with his wife and was swept away by a current. This separate case underscores the universal risks associated with ocean swimming and the importance of always observing warning signs and local safety guidance when near open water, regardless of location.