A British man has been found dead on his yacht off the coast of a Thai island, with authorities “not ruling out the possibility” of unnatural causes. The 69-year-old, who held both British and Australian nationalities, was discovered by a friend and fellow yacht owner, Matthias Lepke, at around 12:30 pm on January 11.
He had not been seen for several days before his body was found, according to reports, and Lepke only made the discovery after growing concerned about the vessel’s “unusual quiet” as it lay anchored off Phuket’s east coast. Lepke contacted local police and staff at a nearby hotel after finding the body. Thai police said they found the man lying in a bedroom at the bow of the ship, in a state of “significant decomposition”.
The 69-year-old is reportedly thought to have died around two days before his body was discovered.
Investigators found no sign of a struggle or ransacking on the yacht, but officers haven’t ruled out an “unnatural death”, the force said.
Police Lieutenant Watcharakorn Suwan, of Wichit Police Station, said: “Regarding the reported news, we were informed by a hotel employee.
“We are currently investigating, gathering evidence and awaiting autopsy results to determine the cause of death. We have not ruled out the possibility of an unnatural death.
Liuetenant Suwan also said staff at the Veranda Resort Phuket, opposite the ship’s mooring spot, had confirmed the 69-year-old was not a guest.
It comes weeks after British holidaymaker Mark Counsell vanished during a Christmas trip to southeast Asia, with authorities finding a body on January 7 in an incident they confirmed was “not being treated as suspicious”.
