Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos announced the end of the search efforts at the command centre at Ya Nui Beach yesterday (Jan 17).
The announcement came after nine days of intensive search efforts involving divers, local rescue workers and Navy boats and a search-rescue helicopter scouring the waters across the southern end of Phuket.
The search was launched after Mr Somesan was reported missing on Jan 8. He was on a diving trip with a Romanian and a Thai friend. When the trio went to leave the area, they became aware that the boat anchor had caught on a rock on the seabed and Mr Somesan dived down to free the anchor. He failed to resurface.
Immediate search efforts focused on the waters around Koh Kaew Noi island, just over two kilometres south of Promthep Cape. Failing to find Mr Somesan, search teams then expanded their search area to include the southwest coast of Phuket and then areas immediately south of Nai Harn.
Mobilised to join the search efforts were officers from Rawai Municipality, Marine Police, Tourist Police, Chalong Police, Tourist Assistance Center, Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers, disaster officials and personnel form the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command based at Cape Panwa.
Local foreign divers have also joined the search efforts to locate Mr Somesan, who as a local expat lived in Phuket with his wife and daughter.
Mayor Aroon yesterday said the relevant agencies, including Phuket’s commercial fishing fleet, had been asked to continue to keep watch for any sign of Mr Somesan or his body.
The closing of the command centre was marked by a lunch conducted in the form of merit making under the theme ‘Together We Share’ to express gratitude to all those who took part in the search. Phuket Vice Governor Anupap Rodkwan Yodrabam was present to mark the occasion.
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