Sakhu Police were notified of the incident at Nai Yang Beach at about 1:20pm, after local residents reported that a foreign woman was drowning offshore.
Pol Lt Col Kittisak Sommat, an investigating officer at Sakhu Police Station, coordinated with rescue workers and informed Sakhu Police Superintendent Pol Col Salan Santisasanakul before heading to the scene.
According to police, a good Samaritan spotted the woman struggling in the water at about 1:37pm and helped bring her ashore before emergency responders arrived.
Rescue workers from the Sakhu Tambon Administrative Organisation (OrBorTor) provided emergency medical aid at the beach before transporting the woman to Thalang Hospital.
Doctors at Thalang Hospital later pronounced the woman dead at 2:34pm.
Thalang Police were notified of the death at about 3:20pm, with Pol Lt Theerawat Chupong, deputy investigating inspector at Thalang Police Station, assigned to the case.
Police and hospital staff conducted a preliminary examination of the body at the hospital emergency room before arranging for the body to be transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital.
Authorities said the Russian Embassy, Immigration Bureau and Border Patrol Police would be notified in accordance with procedure.
The incident remains under investigation.
* The Phuket News is withholding the woman’s name until it has been confirmed that her family have been notified.