Australian tourist drowns, two others saved

PATONG: The body of an Australian tourist who disappeared while swimming on Monday was found last night in front of the Phuket Cabana Hotel. The tourist, named by police as Henry Ng, 27, was staying with his girlfriend at the Novotel Phuket Resort. While swimming off Kalim beach, the two were hit by a large wave. A fishermen managed to save the girlfriend, named as Australian Marissel Filippone, 25, but was unable to retrieve Mr Ng. Mr Ng’s death brings to eight the number of tourists to have drowned in Phuket’s waters this year. Meanwhile, a Norwegian tourist named by police as Steiner Pettersen, 53, was pulled unconscious from the water at Patong beach on Monday by other tourists after he too was hit by a big wave. He was successfully revived. The deaths occurred despite the fact that at both Patong and Kalim beaches red “no swimming” flags are flying in clear view.