Acting Lt Parskon Sirichuchot, a beach safety guard at Karon Beach, said, “We got a notice at 12:45pm that a tourist had disappeared near the rock cliff at Leam Sai.
The man was identified by beach safety personnel as 51-year-old Mr Andy Airtley, but his identity and nationality has yet to be officially confimed.
“We arrived at the scene and found man, then brought him to the beach by jet-ski. The man was wearing a white shirt, with no pants and had white hair. The navy rescue team tried to resuscitate him, but he remained unconscious and was not breathing. When the ambulance arrived he was transferred to Chalong Hospital,” said Acting Lt Parskon
“He was pronounced dead at hospital. His body is currently being transferred to Vachira Hospital,” he added.
Acting Lt Parskon warned all people to refrain from swimming at Karon beach due to the dangerous condition and lack of qualified lifeguards on duty.
“Currently, we have set up red flags along Karon Beach because there are no real lifeguards on patrol there. The conditions are dangerous and there are strong waves all the time.
"We are the only safety guards on the beach, but we are urging tourists to stay away from the water because we do not have adequate experience and water safety training. Please be careful in the water until the real lifeguard on duty,” said Acting Lt Parskon.