Bangkok: Four foreign divers who went missing at sea have been found after a prolonged search operation. Their relatives are overjoyed and relieved by the news of their safe return.
According to Thai News Agency, the group of divers, consisting of Gary Phillips, a 64-year-old British national; JD John McGree, a 63-year-old American national; Bartosz Royals, a 37-year-old Polish national; and Tim Pitt, a 50-year-old American national, were reported missing late last night. All four divers are certified and highly experienced, with some being diving instructors themselves. They had embarked on a technical diving training trip, which involves diving deeper than 40 meters, requiring longer underwater stays or entering enclosed areas. However, they failed to resurface as scheduled around midday, prompting an extensive search operation by multiple agencies via sea and air.
Later, at approximately 8:45 PM, the divers were found floating in the sea near a pristine, clear beach. Rescuers promptly brought them back to the coordination point, where their relieved and joyful relatives awaited them. The incident occurred when the divers surfaced but were unable to locate their boat, leading them to float with the current until they reached the beach where they were eventually found.