Brit dad, 37, drowns while swimming with his partner after getting swept out to sea by wave off hols island Phuket

A BRITISH dad has drowned after being swept out to sea by powerful waves while swimming with his partner in Thailand.

The 37-year-old was paddling at Freedom Beach in Phuket when an unexpectedly strong wave hit and a rip current dragged him below the surface.

Tourists pulled him ashore on Saturday and performed CPR but he could not be revived.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Chanan Mekchai of Patong Police Station said: “The incident happened at around 11.30am, and we were notified an hour later.

“He went to the beach with his wife at around 10 am. While swimming, he was caught in strong waves and disappeared beneath the surface.

“Tourists on the beach rushed to help and managed to pull him from the water. They attempted CPR for first aid while waiting for the emergency service, but he could not be revived.”

Shocked onlooker Chariya Thaweerat Howells, 31, said two other tourists were also dragged out to sea but survived after being rescued.

She said the Brit was not immediately visible in the rough surf.

“I was at the beach with my friends around 11.30 am. The waves were pretty strong, we were even talking about how rough the sea looked” Howells explained.

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