Brit dad, 37, drowns while swimming with his partner after getting swept out to sea by wave off hols island Phuket
A BRITISH dad has drowned after being swept out to sea by powerful waves while swimming with his partner in Thailand.
The 37-year-old was paddling at Freedom Beach in Phuket when an unexpectedly strong wave hit and a rip current dragged him below the surface.
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A 37-year-old British father drowned at Freedom Beach in Phuket after being swept out to sea by powerful wavesCredit: Alamy
The Brit was swimming with his wife off Freedom Beach, Phuket, when tragedy struckCredit: Getty
Tourists pulled him ashore on Saturday and performed CPR but he could not be revived.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Chanan Mekchai of Patong Police Station said: “The incident happened at around 11.30am, and we were notified an hour later.
“He went to the beach with his wife at around 10am. While swimming, he was caught in strong waves and disappeared beneath the surface.
“Tourists on the beach rushed to help and managed to pull him from the water. They attempted CPR for first aid while waiting for the emergency service, but he could not be revived.”
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Shocked onlooker Chariya Thaweerat Howells, 31, said two other tourists were also dragged out to sea but survived after being rescued.
She said the Brit was not immediately visible in the rough surf.
“I was at the beach with my friends around 11.30am. The waves were pretty strong, we were even talking about how rough the sea looked” Howells explained.
Beachgoers immediately rushed towards the water, and a Thai man launched a kayak to assist, eventually pulling the pair back to safety.
But Chariya said a third tourist had gone under unnoticed as attention focused on the first two.
When he was finally brought ashore, she said he appeared unresponsive and looked as though he had already drowned.
The Brit dad had arrived in Thailand with his wife on November 19 for a family trip and was staying at a resort in Patong.
He had been in the sea several times earlier in the holiday without trouble.
Witnesses said an ambulance took around 25 minutes to reach the beach.
Tourists also grabbed a stretcher to carry him up from the sand.
Chariya said there were no lifeguards or red warning flags at the beach despite the dangerous conditions.
She and her friend ended up translating after communication between Thai helpers and foreign tourists broke down during resuscitation efforts.
She said the scene became chaotic as Thais urged rescuers to move the victim to higher ground, while tourists insisted CPR could not be stopped.
Police conducted an initial examination with a doctor from Patong Hospital and ruled the death an accidental drowning.
The British Embassy in Bangkok has been informed.
Police Chanan said: “The deceased’s family did not dispute the cause of death.
“His body has been released to them for funeral arrangements.”
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