PHUKET: A body found floating off Koh Kaew Nok in tambon Rawai of Muang district on Friday belonged to a Romanian man who went missing during a dive in early January. His identity was tentatively confirmed by relatives.
Aroon Solos, mayor of tambon Rawai municipality, said the body was found floating face down near the island at 11.33am on Friday. Marine police and municipal officials brought the body to the shore.
Relatives who had earlier filed a missing person report were contacted. They confirmed the body was that of Sebastian Somesan, 46, who went missing near Koh Kaew Nok on Jan 8, said Mr Aroon.
Mr Somesan went out in a fibreglass boat with another Romanian man and a Thai woman, departing about 9am from Nai Han beach. They were going diving near Koh Kaew Nok.
About 12.40pm they prepared to leave the area near the island where they had stopped, but the boat’s anchor had snagged on something below, probably the rocks.
Mr Somesan went down to free the anchor, in water about 30 metres deep. His two friends told police they waited in the boat but he did not return to the surface.
Mr Aroon said the body was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital, where relatives were waiting to confirm the identity.