An actress was swept to her death by a giant wave from rocks she had previously thanked the universe for showing her.
Russian tourist Kamilla Belyatskaya, 24, appeared serene and blissful as she sat on a pink yoga mat overlooking the Gulf of Thailand.
Seconds later, she was thrown into the choppy sea on Koh Sumui, in front of horrified onlookers on Friday.
‘We were there at that moment. It was about 1.40pm,’ witness Irina I told the Rossiyskaya Gazeta, a state-owned newspaper in Russia.
‘A terrible tragedy! She sat on the rock for a long time. At some point, I turned away, and a second later I saw that the girl had been carried away by a wave.
‘Her boyfriend was sitting much higher than she was. As soon as that happened, we ran to the Thais to call for help.’
Harrowing footage showed the tourist, from the city of Novosibirsk, buffeted in the surging currents.
Irina told how she saw the actress trying to swim back to shore, ‘screaming with the last of her strength and trying to stay on her back’.
Video from the scene showed how the pink foam mat remained on the rock without her at first, before this too was dragged intro the water.
Kamilla’s body was found at the weekend, nearly a mile away.
It is understood that red flags were flying due to the monsoon season weather conditions, warning people not to go into the water.
Rescue efforts were hampered because jet skis and other equipment had been moved indoors in anticipation of a storm.
Kamilla had previously told social media followers how much she loved the beauty spot, and repeatedly returned to it on trips to the island which she called ‘home’ and ‘the best place on earth’.
She had previously posted about this beauty spot, saying: ‘I love Samui so much.
‘But this place, this rocky beach is the best thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Thank you, universe, for me being here right now.
‘I’m very happy. I’m happy!’
Kamilla was seen on CCTV arriving nearby in a red car before seemingly going onto the rock alone at the Lad Ko Viewpoint, which has panoramic views of the coast of Thailand’s second largest island.
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Later the mat was seen floating in the choppy seas.
Rescue teams were hampered by a storm, despite arriving only 15 minutes after she was swept into the sea.
Chaiyaporn Subprasert, head of the Samui Rescue Centre, said: ‘During monsoon season, we constantly warn tourists, especially in high-risk areas like Chaweng and Lamai beaches, where red flags indicate no swimming.
‘While the incident’s location is not a swimming area but rather a viewpoint for scenery, the victim may have been caught off guard by the unexpected wave surge.’
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