Four foreign divers missing in the Samae San sea have been found safe, floating ashore. Navy frogmen rescued them, and their relatives embraced them with joy.
On the evening of 14 August 2026, officials received reports that four foreign divers had gone missing after Technical Diving in the Samae San sea since midday and failed to resurface on time. Multiple agencies quickly mobilized continuous sea and air searches.Urgent search for four missing foreign divers in the Samae San sea, Chonburi)
The search operation was led by Mr. Nattawut Anuyotha, Amphoe Sattahip Chief, along with Police Colonel Komsan Kamtunkaew, Sattahip Police Station Superintendent, and officials from relevant agencies, coordinating the search amid growing concern from relatives and close associates monitoring the situation.
At 20:45 on 14 August 2026, naval special warfare unit frogmen spotted individuals floating near Suay Nam Sai beach. They rescued the four divers, bringing them to the coordination point before reuniting them with their anxiously waiting relatives. The families expressed clear relief and happiness upon seeing them safe.
The four divers are Gary Phillips, a 64-year-old British national; Jd John Mecrew, a 63-year-old American; Bartosz Royals, a 37-year-old Polish national; and Tim Pitcher, a 50-year-old American.
All four are certified, highly experienced divers, with some serving as diving instructors. They had come to practice advanced technical diving skills.
Initial inquiries revealed that after surfacing, the divers could not locate their boat and decided to float in the sea. They drifted with the currents until reaching Suay Nam Sai beach, where officials found and safely rescued them.
The discovery of the four divers marks a positive conclusion to the search operation, bringing relief to their families and the officials who had been tirelessly searching for hours.