Chinese feared dead after falling into sea in Phuket

BANGKOK - Rescuers in Thailand's Phuket island found a body off the southern coast on Friday, feared to be a Chinese student who has been missing since falling into the sea two days ago.

The body has been transferred to the Vachira Phuket Hospital for identification. Parents of the 20-year-old student, surnamed Gao, are on their way flying to Phuket.

Four men and two women, all exchange students from China studying in Singapore, climbed up the Promthep Cape, the southernmost point of Phuket Wednesday evening, according to local media reports. Two men slipped and fell into the sea. One of them was rescued from the water. He sustained minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. The other went missing amid strong tides.

Local authorities dispatched four rubber boats and Navy divers to search around the edge of the famous viewpoint, where hundreds of people flock to catch the sunset every day.

Local media said the incident might be caused by the rain which made the trail down to the end of the cape more slippery than usual.