A Russian tourist visiting Koh Samui, Thailand, died after she was swept away by a massive wave on Friday as she was doing yoga on a rock at a popular viewpoint.
Local news outlets identified the woman as 24-year-old Kamilla Beliatskaya.
Police reviewed CCTV footage that showed Beliatskaya arriving at the Laad Koh viewpoint parking lot in a red car just before 1 p.m.
She then retrieved a pink yoga mat from the trunk of the car before she walked down to the rocky area below the viewpoint by herself.
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A little bit later, video shows Beliatskaya being swept off the rocks by a powerful wave. Horrified onlookers watched helplessly as the tragedy unfolded.
Witnesses contacted the Bo Phut Police Station at about 1:30 p.m. to report the woman had gone missing.
She was last seen struggling in the rough waters, with waves reaching heights up to nine feet, local news outlet Khaosod English reported.
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Water rescue teams attempted to search the area for Beliatskaya, but operations were suspended after about 30 minutes because wave conditions continued to worsen.
Earlier in the day, Jet Ski operators removed their vehicles from the beach due to hazardous conditions.
Khaosod English reported that the incident happened near the Laad Koh viewpoint in Moo 6, Bo Phut District, Surat Thani Province in Thailand. Surat Thani is home to the popular tourist islands of Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan.
Chaiyaporn Subprasert, the head of Samui Rescue Center, told the publication that warning systems were in place at all the beaches across the island.
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“During monsoon season, we constantly warn tourists, especially at high-risk areas like Chaweng and Lamai beaches, where red flags indicate no swimming,” he said. “While the incident location isn’t a swimming area but rather a viewpoint for scenery, the victim may have been caught off guard by the unexpected wave surge.”
At about 11 p.m. on Saturday, police received a report that staff from the Impeña Resort Hotel discovered a body on Chaweng Noi Beach. The body was determined to be that of Beliatskaya. Her boyfriend, Grigorii Anokhin, confirmed the identification, according to Khaosod English.
Authorities urged visitors to use extreme caution during monsoon conditions and to avoid rocky coastal areas when the surf is large.
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