Rescue teams searching for a Brighton woman who went missing following a diving boat incident off the coast of Thailand have made a disheartening discovery—an empty life raft.
Millie Young, a 57-year-old from Brighton, along with the diving boat’s cook, Samniang Chaichana, remains unaccounted for after a harrowing incident that occurred on Saturday morning. The boat, part of a diving tour, capsized in treacherous seas, leading to their disappearance.
The incident unfolded around the Surin Islands archipelago in southern Thailand, a popular tourist destination for diving enthusiasts, where the boat named the Reggae Queen encountered rough waters.
Ms Young, an artist and university lecturer, had been on vacation with family friends Jo and Phil Degregorio, along with their two teenage children, Oska and Daisy, who also hail from Brighton, according to reports from the Daily Mail.
The ill-fated diving boat carried 18 people on board, and fortunately, 16 of them have been successfully rescued. The four travel companions of Ms. Young were among those rescued and were brought aboard a passing fishing vessel to safety.
Despite continued efforts and search operations, Thai navy officials reported on Christmas Day that they had not located any signs of Ms Young or the boat’s cook, Mr Chaichana. Rear Admiral Pongmit Narongkul, the chief of staff of the third Naval Region, revealed that an inflatable life raft was discovered approximately 20 nautical miles from the location where the boat sank. Regrettably, the life raft was found to be empty.
In response to the situation, a navy patrol plane has been conducting aerial searches across the area. The search radius has been expanded to cover the western area of the Surin Islands, encompassing a 15-nautical-mile radius from the forecast point.
While the missing individuals have not been located, the search and rescue efforts are ongoing. The British Foreign Office has been actively engaged, offering support to Ms Young’s family and collaborating with local authorities in Thailand.
As the search for Ms Young and Mr Chaichana continues, their loved ones and concerned individuals around the world await updates and hope for their safe return
