[News] British tourist on honeymoon drowns in Thailand after ignoring rough water swimming warnings

A British tourist died on his honeymoon in Thailand after ignoring red flag warnings not to go swimming in the rough sea.

Ali Mohammed Mian, 34, had been on the dream trip for just two days after arriving on the island of Phuket, southern Thailand on July 12 with his new wife.

He was staying at the five-star Katathani Phuket Beach Resort and went for a paddle in the choppy waters, especially dangerous during the current monsoon rainy season.

Mr Mian, from London, and a second swimmer, Thai man Surasit Phonglaohaphan, 55, were both dragged out away from the shore on the Kata Noi Beach.

Lifeguards pulled both men back onto the sand and performed CPR before paramedics rushed them in an ambulance to the Chalong Hospital, where they were officially pronounced dead.

Pol Lt Col Ekachai Siri, a tourist police inspector, said the double tragedy happened about 5pm on Thursday, July 14, shortly after lifeguards had warned tourists not to swim there because of the strong waves. Red flags were also erected along the 850-metre beach, warning against swimming in the strong monsoon sea.

“Our station received notification at 5pm from rescue volunteers that lifeguards had rescued two drowning tourists from the sea.We were informed that there was a red warning flag on the beach that the tourists had ignored to go swimming in the sea. They disobeyed the red flag and were swept away by the waves.” the officer said.

Elsewhere in Phuket at the Kata Beach, two other tourists had to be rescued after they were dragged away by the strong currents.

The couple, both in the mid-30s, survived and were taken to hospital.