British tourist drowns on Thai holiday island after going for a swim in the sea ‘while he was drunk’
Graham Wakefield had been drinking beer with his girlfriend on Koh Samet, eastern Thailand, when he decided to cool off with Sunday lunchtime dip
A BRIT tourist has drowned on while on a Thai holiday island after going for a swim in the sea while he was drunk, according to paramedics.
Graham Wakefield had been drinking beer with his girlfriend on Koh Samet, eastern Thailand, when he decided to cool off with Sunday lunchtime dip.
But within minutes he got into difficulties and disappeared from his friends view on the beach.
Rescuers arrived and performed CPR but the 60-year-old from Nottingham was later pronounced dead at nearby Rayong hospital.
His distraught girlfriend, who was not named, said: ''He was swimming then he just dropped under the water.
People on the beach saw him go down and disappear underneath the surface of the water for five or ten minutes.
''He had been drinking beer, but it was not a lot, I think he was still OK to swim.''
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Paramedic Kilen Phe said: ''We were called to a rescue at approximately 2pm on Sunday afternoon. We were told that a foreign man had drowned.
''His friend said that he wanted to go and play around in the water then she lost him, she couldn't see him.
''His friends were calling for help and people took him out from the water. We arrived and did CPR and took him to hospital but there was nothing more we could do.
''He had been drunk and wanted to swim in the sea. He was Graham Wakefield from England.''
The sea was calm at the time of the accident but the area is known to have strong currents, particularly in winter.
Police confirmed that a British tourist had drowned and they said they were confident that alcohol was responsible.
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