PATTAYA, Thailand – A large-scale sea search for a 61-year-old Russian tourist who fell overboard from a tourist boat earlier this week has ended in tragedy, with rescue teams recovering his body yesterday afternoon.
The victim was identified publicly by relevant officials as Mr. Andrey Cherbakov. His body was found floating approximately 4–5 nautical miles from Koh Larn and 8 nautical miles off Jomtien Beach, Chonburi province.
At 12:30 p.m. on November 26th 2025, marine police and Pattaya Marine Disaster Prevention Unit personnel located the corpse in the Gulf of Thailand and brought it ashore at Jomtien Beach. Officers from Pattaya City Police Station were called to the scene to conduct a preliminary examination.
According to the initial investigation, Mr. Cherbakov fell from a two-deck private tourist boat (not the ferry) while the vessel was returning from Koh Larn to the Pattaya mainland on the evening of the 24th of November. He had been travelling with three fellow Russian nationals.
The boat captain, a 61-year-old man who asked The Pattaya News to be identified only by the nickname “Toey”, told police that the four Russian tourists were regular customers who frequently chartered his boat for day trips to Koh Larn.
“After we left the island, the four of them spread out on the boat,” the captain said. “Two went to the bow to take photos, one lay down on the lower deck, and Mr. Andrey went to rest near the area where we store life jackets. Not long after we departed, his friends came to me in a panic saying he had disappeared, even though they had all boarded together. We searched everywhere and concluded he must have fallen overboard.”
Marine police and Pattaya sea rescue teams launched an intensive search immediately after the incident was reported and continued operations for two full days.
When recovered, the body was wearing only black swimming trunks. Investigators said there were no visible signs of assault or foul play.
Deputy Inspector Pol. Lt. Pakorn Prakobnan of Pattaya City Police Station ordered the body to be transferred to the Police General Hospital’s Institute of Forensic Medicine for a detailed autopsy. Police have yet to determine the exact circumstances of how Mr. Cherbakov fell from the vessel.
Authorities plan to question the three Russian companions who were on the boat to establish a clearer timeline and the precise cause of the fatal accident.
The recovery brings a sad end to hopes of a miracle survival after more than 48 hours in open water.
