Search intensifies for missing Russian in Phuket

PHUKET - Search teams have been scouring Phuket seas for a Russian tourist who went missing after being swept away while swimming near an islet since Monday morning as he and his friend moored a yacht there on their way to the Similan Islands.

The Royal Thai Navy despatched a team of officers to search for the missing yacht after being alerted on Tuesday. The search team later found the yacht moored at Koh Si islet at 4.47pm on the same day, Vice Adm Surapol Kuptaphan, commander of the Third Navy Area, said on Wednesday.

Vladimir Komogorov, a Russian national and captain of the yacht who was found in it, told authorities that he and his friend, Alex Stasskov, had left Chalong pier in Phuket at 9pm on Oct 30 for the Similans, a group of islands in Phuket.

They stopped at Koh Song at around 7am on Oct 31 to take a rest. His friend later went swimming alone and shortly later being swept away by strong waves, said Mr Komogorov.

He immediately drove the yacht to search for his friend around the islet, but failed to find him. He did not know what to do and then decided to drive the yacht to nearby Koh Si, where he was found on the vessel.

The yacht was later taken to the Phangnga naval base on Wednesday and the Russian was later taken to file a complaint with local police.

Naval officers at Similan Islands and a network of fishing vessels and tourist boats were stepping up a search for the missing Russian tourist whose fate remained unknown.