PHANGNGA: Rescuers on Saturday continued to search for a Chinese woman who was missing after two compatriots drowned and two others were rescued from choppy waters off a local beach.
The five young tourists had gone swimming on the beach in front of the Hotspring Hotel in tambon Na Toei of Thai Muang district on Friday evening, said Sayant Kitmano, head of the provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office.
A woman and a man -- identified as Wang Qi, 29, and Jiang Yufu, 25 -- lost their lives and two other men were saved. Jiang Yuping and Jiang Yumong, both 28, sustained injuries and were admitted to a hospital in Phuket.
The remaining woman, identified as Yang Juan, 27, is still missing, said Mr Sayant.
Anuwat Kangsadanbanpot, 26, a tour guide at a Phuket-based travel firm, told police that he took 29 tourists from Krabi airport to the hotel in Phangnga. He saie he warned everyone not to swim in the sea at dusk as wind and waves were strong and posed a danger to their lives.
However, the five tourists went out to swim at around 6pm despite the warning, said Mr Anuwat.
Phangnga governor Sitthichai Sakda on Saturday led a team of officials to inspect the area. Navy and marine police rescuers continued to search for the missing woman in a radius of one kilometre from where the group had been swimming.