An Austrian man today denied involvement in a fatal jet ski collision with a Russian man in Phuket, which resulted in the latter’s death during the arrest.
A local fisherman in the Karon area of Phuket discovered the body of 58 year old Russian man Kirill Kolovachev against a group of rocks near A Blanket & A Pillow restaurant on Karon Beach on Tuesday, December 17. The fisherman called officers from Karon Police Station to the scene.
Officers initially concluded that the Russian man drowned while swimming in the sea. However, a witness contradicted the police’s conclusion, claiming that a jet ski struck the Russian while he was swimming.
Police then reviewed security camera footage, which showed the fatal jet ski accident. In the footage, the jet ski is seen moving quickly towards the beach before making a sudden turn and hitting the Russian man.
The jet ski rider, later identified as 25 year old Austrian David, did not stop to check on the deceased and immediately fled the scene.
Police today, December 20, tracked David travelling to Koh Phi Phi, an island in the nearby province of Krabi. David denied fatally hitting any swimmer while riding the jet ski.
Further questioning is expected, and police have not yet issued an official legal charge against David.
In line with a similar incident, David could be charged with reckless behaviour leading to death. The penalty could include imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to 200,000 baht under Section 291 of the Criminal Law.
ORIGINAL STORY: Jet ski accident off Phuket coast leads to tourist’s tragic death
A tragic accident involving a jet ski and a tourist took place off the coast of Karon, Phuket, leading to the tourist’s disappearance underwater. The body was discovered in the early hours of this morning and police are set to conduct an autopsy to investigate further.
At 7pm yesterday, December 17, Sanya Suksawat, a police officer with the Karon Police Station, received a report of a jet ski colliding with a person in the sea near a local establishment in Karon, Phuket. Upon receiving the call, he informed Kunadach Na Nongkhai, a senior officer, and proceeded to the scene.
Jate Patnawat, a 29 year old man who reported the incident, explained that he was at his shop when a foreign tourist approached him. The tourist had witnessed the collision and disappearance of the individual beneath the water. They shared a video clip via Airdrop, urging Jate to contact the relevant officials for assistance.
The video, received at 6.18pm, showed the area of the incident but lacked clear footage of the actual collision. Concerned, Jate promptly notified the police to investigate.
The police then alerted the Pak Bang Water Rescue Centre and a local foundation to aid in the search. Investigators also began reviewing CCTV footage and tracking jet ski rental records in the vicinity.
Later, around 12.45am today, local fishermen diving for squid near rocks close to the shop reported finding a body trapped among the rocks. The discovery was immediately reported to the foundation, and the body was brought to Kata Beach, Pak Bang Road, reported KhaoSod.
Investigators coordinated with forensic doctors from Vachira Phuket Hospital to conduct a preliminary autopsy. The initial examination suggested the individual had been deceased for approximately two to four hours, with no visible injuries.
A further autopsy on the unnamed foreign tourist is planned to check for any internal injuries as part of the ongoing investigation into the cause of death.
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