Patong Police Chief Col Tassanai Orarigdech told The Phuket News today (July 17), “Patong Police received a report about two Chinese men who went missing after violating red-flag warnings and swam despite there being big surf at Freedom Beach at 2:50pm yesterday (July 16).
The report was made by Liu Wei Jie, 21, who is a friend of the missing men.
The missing men were named by police as 21 year olds Wang Xi Dong and Guo Zi Jie.
“Mr Liu told us that they arrived in Phuket on July 15 and that they were staying at a hotel in Patong.
“They went swimming at Freedom Beach at 11.30am on July 16 and shortly after Mr Wang and Mr Guo disappeared.
“Rescue workers and Marine Police have been searching for the two men but have so far been unsuccessful,” Col Tassanai said.
Chief of Karon Police Station, Col Sanya Thongsawad, added, “This case has now been transferred to Karon Police because it happened in the Karon area.
“We have been searching since we received the report but we still haven’t found them yet. But we are still awaiting updates,” Col Sanya confirmed to The Phuket News this afternoon.
Maj Tossapol Montasit, Inspector of the Phuket Marine Office and the man responsible for leading the search added, “We have been trying to find them since yesterday. This morning a rescue team looked for them but the waves were too strong.
“We stopped searching for them this evening as the weather is not suitable, but the search will continue,” he added.