A Russian tourist visiting Thailand’s Koh Samui was swept to his death by a large wave on Friday while practicing yoga on a rock at a popular viewing platform.
Local news outlets identified the woman as 24-year-old Kamila Beliatskaya.
Police reviewed CCTV footage showing Beliatskaya arriving in a red car at the parking lot of the Lad Kho observation deck just before 1 p.m.
Afterwards, she retrieved a pink yoga mat from the trunk of her car and walked alone to the rocky area below the viewpoint.
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Russian tourist Kamila Beliatskaya was swept to her death by a large wave over the weekend while doing yoga on a rock near the Lad Kho lookout point on Thailand’s Koh Samui island. (Credit: East2West )
Moments later, video showed Beliatskaya being swept off the rock by a powerful wave. Horrified onlookers watched helplessly as the tragedy unfolded.
Witnesses reported the woman missing to Bophut police station around 1:30 p.m.
She was last seen struggling in rough seas with waves up to 9 feet high, local news outlet Khaosod English reported.
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A yoga mat was found on a rock after the woman was swept away. (Credit: East2West )
Water rescue teams attempted to search for Beliatskaya, but called off the operation after about 30 minutes as surf conditions continued to deteriorate.
Earlier in the day, a jet ski operator removed his vehicle from the beach due to dangerous conditions.
Khaosod English reported that the incident took place near Lad Kho Observatory in Mu 6, Bophut District, Surat Thani Province, Thailand. Surat Thani is home to popular tourist islands such as Koh Samui, Koh Tao, and Koh Phangan.
Chaiyaporn Sabprasert, director of the Koh Samui Rescue Center, told the publication that warning systems have been installed at all beaches across the island.
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Kamila Beliatskaya was doing yoga on a rocky lookout in Thailand when she was swept away by a severe wave. (Credit: East2West )
“We always warn tourists during the monsoon season, especially in high-risk areas such as Chaweng Beach and Lamai Beach, where red flags indicate no swimming,” he said. “Although the accident site was not a swimming area but a scenic point, it is possible that the victims were caught off guard by unexpectedly high waves.”
Around 11pm on Saturday, police received a report that staff at the Impeña Resort Hotel had found a body on Chaweng Noi Beach. The body was identified as Beliatskaya’s. Her boyfriend, Grigory Anokhin, confirmed the identity, Khaosod English newspaper reported.
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Officials urged visitors to use extreme caution during monsoon conditions and avoid rocky coastal areas when waves are large.
