SATTAHIP, Thailand – Sattahip police are investigating the case of a body found floating near an island in Sattahip Bay on December 16. The body is believed to be that of a foreigner who may have drowned in a separate incident earlier this month.
According to the police, they received a report from a local fisherman who spotted the body in the water, about 500 meters offshore. A team of investigative police and a search and rescue unit went to the scene where they discovered the body of an unidentified male, wearing only black shorts and no shirt. His head was submerged and wedged against some rocks. The authorities carefully lifted the body onto the boat and brought it to shore for further examination.
Preliminary observations suggested that the individual may have been deceased for an estimated 3-5 days. While the initial examination did not reveal signs of foul play, the authorities continued to treat the case with caution. The police said that the appearance of the deceased man resembled an earlier report of a person seen drowning in front of Lung Sawai restaurant in Na Jomtien on December 12. However, search efforts for that incident were suspended due to unclear information from witnesses. To date, no one has come forward to report a missing person related to either incident.
The police also said that the locations of the reported drowning and the discovery of the body are approximately 40 nautical miles apart, making it unclear whether these events are related. The police have photographed the deceased individual before coordinating with local hotels, Sattahip police stations on the mainland, and Chonburi and Rayong provinces to inquire about any missing persons, particularly foreigners.
The body will be sent to the Police General Hospital’s Forensic Science Institute in Bangkok for identity verification, and the investigation will continue, including efforts to locate the deceased person’s relatives. The police urged anyone who may have information about the case to contact them as soon as possible.