A British tourist’s naked body has been found in the sea off Phuket, Thailand, following what his family described as a “heated” argument with an unidentified man.
Regan Kelly, 28, from Selsdon, south London, was discovered by a watersports instructor at 10am on January 4, just hours after he went missing.
The building surveyor had arrived in Thailand on December 30 for what was meant to be a month-long trip.
His disappearance came after he was last seen running towards Patong beach in the early hours of January 3.
Regan Kelly had arrived in Thailand on December 30 for what was meant to be a month-long trip
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CCTV footage from Mad Monkey Hostel shows Kelly engaged in a lengthy conversation with another tourist at the bar.
The discussion, which lasted several hours, appeared to become increasingly confrontational before Kelly suddenly left.
Security camera footage from a nearby hotel captured Kelly running towards the beach, with the unidentified man following approximately 15 seconds behind.
The man who followed him was described as muscular, wearing a white t-shirt and shorts, but was not a guest at the hostel.
Kelly’s sister, Laurie Blackall, told the Daily Mail: “We are not too sure what they were talking about, but the conversation seemed a bit confrontational. There’s no audio but Regan looked visibly upset.”
She has made a direct appeal to the unknown man: “I would like to appeal to this guy and for him to tell us what was said, I want to ask why Regan seemed so upset.
Thai police have concluded that drowning was the cause of death, with no signs of physical assault found during the autopsy
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“Maybe he was just having a passionate conversation, talking about life. But it seems like it was getting heated towards the end – no physical altercations more verbal.”
Thai police have concluded that drowning was the cause of death, with no signs of physical assault found during the autopsy.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Visanu Choomee said: “The investigators have reviewed the CCTV footage, and the deceased, Mr Regan Kelly, was intoxicated and ran into the sea alone at around 4.30am on January 3.”
Initial toxicology tests revealed the presence of cocaine and marijuana in the 28-year-old’s system, though blood alcohol levels could not be determined.
The police stated they were unable to investigate the unknown man as the hostel did not recognise him.
Blackall and her father have now travelled to Thailand seeking answers about the circumstances of her brother’s death.
Kelly was described as “very sociable” and an experienced traveller
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She said: “The detective said he has worked tirelessly but I just don’t know if they want to make it out like it was a tragic accident. Something is really not sitting right with me.”
The family has launched a JustGiving fundraiser to repatriate Kelly’s body to the UK for a second post-mortem examination.
“Our main focus is getting him home asap and continuing to work out what happened, because for us there isn’t any closure,” she added.
When last seen, Kelly was wearing shorts, a Mad Monkey t-shirt, black baseball cap and a cross-body bag, though these items were missing when his body was found.
His sister described him as “very sociable” and an experienced traveller, but emphasised he was not a “reckless party boy.”
On the fundraising page, the family wrote: “Regan was only 28 years old and a happy and loving soul. He was an amazing Son, Brother and Uncle. He’ll be deeply missed by all his friends and family.”