A British pensioner has died after reportedly being swept out to sea by a rip current while swimming in Thailand.
The 75-year-old pensioner found himself caught up in deep waves as his Thai girlfriend helplessly watched from the beach in the coastal city of Hua Hin.
He was thought to be unable to swim back to shore in the choppy waters, and a fisherman later discovered his body close to a pier at around 4.30pm local time on Wednesday.
Police Captain Prasong Jaturat, deputy inspector at the Hua Hin station, said the man had travelled to Thailand alone, having been widowed previously.
He said: ‘His family is in England, and his wife has passed away, so he lives with his children.
‘He had previously been staying in Kalasin province with a Thai girlfriend before they travelled to Hua Hin together.
‘They arrived on April 6 and were due to return on April 20.
‘Since arriving, he had been swimming alone every morning at the same location. Conditions were usually calm.
A British pensioner has died after reportedly being swept out to sea by a rip current while swimming in Thailand. Pictured: The scene close to where the man’s body was found
The 75-year-old pensioner found himself caught in deep waves as his Thai girlfriend watched from the beach in the coastal city of Hua Hin (file pic)
‘However, on the day of the incident, the waves were strong, and no one else was swimming.
‘He entered the water near the mouth of the bay, in a ferry channel used by vessels travelling to Chonburi.
‘The area is particularly deep due to dredging for large boats. It is believed he may have been caught in a rip current and pulled under by the waves.’
The British man’s body was taken to the Hua Hin Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
Daily Mail has contacted the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for comment.
