A 64-year-old Dutch tourist remains missing after a kayak capsized in rough seas off Railay Bay in Krabi province on Saturday afternoon, while his daughter was rescued safely by a passing longtail boat.
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The incident happened on 16 May 2026 after the father and daughter paddled a kayak from Railay Bay before being caught in strong currents, rough waves and fog. According to preliminary investigations, the pair were swept from shore between Poda Island and Railay Bay before the kayak overturned and the two became separated.
At 3.10pm, a longtail boat operated by local residents rescued the female tourist from the sea. Authorities said neither tourist were wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident.
Vice Admiral Weerudom Muangchin, Commander of the Third Naval Area Command and Director of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre Region 3, ordered an urgent rescue response following reports of the capsized kayak in Krabi waters.
The Krabi Port Security Control Centre coordinated with officials from Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, Krabi Tourist Police, the Railay longtail boat club and local tourism operators to launch a large-scale search operation.
Rescue teams deployed inflatable boats and emergency equipment to search the area where the tourist disappeared. Officials said the incident site was about 0.5 nautical miles from the coast of Railay Bay, with signs suggesting waves had carried the kayak towards Koh Pu.
Despite extensive searches rescuers were unable to locate the missing Dutch man. Search teams found only a kayak paddle floating in the sea. Workpoint News reported that officials have continued coordinating search efforts involving multiple agencies and local boat operators as they attempt to locate the missing tourist.
Picture courtesy of Workpoint
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Adapted by ASEAN NowWorkpointnews 18 May 2026