PHUKET: The search continues for the Russian man swept off rocks and into the water by a wave at Promthep Cape yesterday (May 12), with search teams today hindered by strong wind and waves.
The missing man, Yuri Smoyan, 32, was with three friends on rocks at the popular peninsula yesterdya when they were hit by a large wave.
All four were swept into the sea. Three of the men managed to get out of the water and are safe now, although one was taken to Chalong Hospital for treatment of wounds sustained in the fall.
Rawai Deputy Mayor Thiraphong Thaowdang, who heads the missing persons operations centre set up at Yanui Beach, explained that the search was now a mutli-agency effort after attempts to find Mr Smoyan late yesterday were unsuccessful.
The search teams now comprise officers and personnel from the Tourist Police. The Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command, Rawai Municipality, local rescue foundations and lifeguards, among others, Mr Thiraphong said.
Search teams on speedboats, rubber dinghies and jet-skis were scouring the coast and searching offshore in the hope of locating Mr Smoyan. However, so far efforts have still been unsuccessful.
Strong wind and waves were hampering search efforts, especially along the rocky areas along the coast, where the conditions make it too dangerous for search teams to come close to shore, he said.
The search effort today is from Yanui Beach all the way round to Koh Kaew Phitsadan, Mr Thiraphong explained.
“Today has strong winds, but we are praying that we will find him soon,” he said.
“We encourage everyone who comes to the area, whether by land or by water, to be on the lookout for him,” Mr Thiraphong added.
