Chief Petty Officer First Class Weerawut Padam, who is Chief of the Royal Thai Navy emergency rescue team based at Koh Lanta Noi, said his team were notified of the incident at 1pm.
“We responded to the call and rendezvoused with her tour boat at Poda Island,” Chief Weerawut told The Phuket News.
“She was unconscious when our team arrived. Our team administered CPR and transported her to the pier at Ao Nam Mao on the mainland. From there, she was rushed to Krabi Hospital,” he said.
CPO Weerawut identified the tourist as Lai Xiaochang, 22, from Guangdong, China.
“We were told that Miss Lai was snorkelling with friends at Chicken Island when after about 10 minutes a friend noticed that she was not moving,” he said.
“Her friend rushed to her and found that she was unconsciousness, and quickly alerted the tour group leader,” he said.
“The tour team responded and quickly pulled her out of the water and rushed her to Poda Island, which is nearby and where a medical team is based. Our team picked her up from there,” he added.
Ms Lai remains comatose at Krabi Hospital, CPO Weerawut reported.
“Doctors had to administer a heart stimulant due to low blood pressure and they have put her on a ventilator to assist her breathing. We are still waiting to see if her condition improves,” he said.