Lu Shanshan, 33, from Tianjin in Sichuan Province, was on a tour booked with Happy Holidays, confirmed Lt Nutnaree Narksingha of the Phuket City Police, who was informed of the death at 4:25pm.
Ms Lu and her mother boarded the tour boat JJ Orca, which departed from Wisit Panwa Pier in Phuket, to enjoy a day trip to Koh Khai Nok, off Phuket’s east coast.
Tour guide Chalit Sae-mee explained to police that Ms Lu entered the water at the beach at Koh Khai Nork wearing a buoyancy vest and a snorkelling mask.
Later, Ms Lu’s mother, who remained on the beach, noticed that her daughter was not moving and raised the alarm.
The boat crew rushed to pull Ms Lu out of the water, but she was already unconscious and unresponsive.
Members of the boat crew performed CPR while they rushed Ms Lu back to Phuket, where on arriving she was sped to the Phuket Provincial Hospital in Rassada.
However, Ms Lu was pronounced dead on arrival.
Ms Lu and her mother landed in Phuket at 5am yesterday (Aug 21) and were due to fly home this Saturday (Aug 25). They were staying at a resort in Karon, Lt Nutnaree noted.
Staff at the Happy Holiday tour company confirmed to police that the company has insurance and that the policy covers compensation of up to B1 million in the event of death.
Police noted in their report that the mother has requested a medical examination of her daughter’s body to confirm the cause of death.