Two missing snorkellers found safe off Phuket

Phuket Marine Policeʼs Maj Nattapong Phuktharathikul and his team went out this morning to continue to search for A-Sang Shairlaw, 31, from Thailand and Ji Huaqiu, 23, from China, when at 10am they received a call from the VTT Group tour company stating that the two had been found and rescue by a Malaysian cargo boat.

“We are now communicating with the cargo boat so that we can go and pick up the two men,” said Maj Nattapong.

Watcharin Shairlaw, the captain of the speedboat with whom the two had travelled to Koh Racha Noi yesterday, confirmed to police that he spoken to one of the missing men and that that they were safe and on board the Malaysian boat.

“The men had drifted 10 nautical miles north of Koh Racha Noi when they were found early this morning,” Mr Watcharin said.

Maj Nattapong said, “Mr Watcharin had taken 11 tourists and two crew members to snorkel at Racha Noi early yesterday morning and when they were ready to leave Mr A-Sang and Mr Ji had not returned to the boat.

“They had searched for the two, but by 7pm they had not been able to find them as it was too dark so they called for help.

“Marine police and rescue workers went to search for the missing men last night but by 9:30pm they had to give up because it was too dark and the water was too shallow,” Maj Nattapong said.

Phuket News