An actress who was swept to her death by a giant wave while exercising on a popular Thai resort island was just days away from getting married, her fiance has revealed.
Tourist Kamilla Belyatskaya, 24, was dragged from a beauty spot in Koh Sumui moments after filming herself on her yoga mat overlooking the Gulf of Thailand.
Heartbreaking footage showed Kamilla, who had taken pre-wedding photos with her partner days before, in rough seas after being hit by a large wave and swept into the foaming waters.
Tragically, his lifeless body was found washed up on the island’s busy Chaweng beach on December 1.
Kamilla’s devastated partner Grigorii Anokhin said he only found out what had happened to his girlfriend of five years through social media.
The 47-year-old said: “I was still praying for a miracle, that my fiancé would be found alive.” I am devastated, I am heartbroken. We were going to get married in a few days.
Kamilla, 24, was due to marry her partner of five years, 47, in just a few days.
She was seen sitting on her yoga mat as the waves got stronger and stronger.
The images showed a figure in the water as strong waves crashed overhead.
“I was devastated and immediately went to the area to help search for her,” Anokhin said.
‘I’ve been with my girlfriend for five years and we were planning to get married in mid-December.
“We had already taken photos before the wedding in the hope of living together when we returned to Russia.”
Officials said rescuers arrived moments after Kamilla was swept out to sea.
But they could only see their pink yoga mat floating in the waves and the conditions were too dangerous for them to enter the water.
Jet skis, normally rented to tourists on the nearby beach, were also moved inland due to rough sea conditions.
Finally, the police sent two jet skis to search the stretch of coast. Foot rescue teams were also sent to nearby beaches.
The search was suspended after dark and resumed Saturday morning.
Police said they received a report about the body from staff at a nearby hotel in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Officers took tourist police, doctors and paramedics to the scene where they discovered Kamilla’s body about a kilometer from where she was swept into the water.
A passerby had also reportedly dived into the waves to try to save her, without success. His fate is unknown.
It is known that the tourist, from Russia’s third city, Novosibirsk, had been visiting Thailand’s second largest island with her boyfriend.
She had gone up to the Lad Ko lookout to watch the waves, apparently going alone to exercise in front of the view.
She had told her social media followers how much she loved this place and repeatedly returned to the island, which she called “home” and “the best place in the world.”
Kamilla is believed to have headed to the rocks alone to exercise on her yoga mat.
Kamilla had been sitting on the rocks, apparently meditating, as the waters became more violent.
Kamilla was seen arriving in a red car with her mat before climbing onto the rocks.
The waves became increasingly violent before she was finally swept away.
She had gone to the Lad Ko viewpoint to watch the waves and was seen arriving nearby in a red car.
She took out a pink foam mat from the trunk of her car before walking towards the beautiful spot that offers panoramic views of the island.
The video showed their figure swaying in the water as strong currents violently twisted the water and waves crashed overhead.
Rescuers were also hampered by rough seas.
Although they arrived only 15 minutes after she was swept into the sea, they could do nothing to save her.
Kamilla had previously posted about the beautiful place: ‘I love Samui so much. But this place, this rocky beach is the best thing I have ever seen in my life.
‘Thank you, universe, for being here right now. I am very happy. I’m happy!’
Her boyfriend, along with eyewitnesses, gave statements to local police about the tragedy.
“The incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by monsoon conditions, with authorities urging visitors to exercise caution and avoid rocky coastal areas during periods of high waves,” according to a Thai report.
Thailand is increasingly popular with Russian tourists, including men seeking to avoid being forced into Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine.
Kamilla Belyatskaya, an amateur actress, had traveled to the Thai location to exercise.
Moments before he had spoken to his followers about how happy he was to be there.
The pink yoga mat was later seen on the rocks after Kamilla disappeared beneath the waves.
Authorities arrived 15 minutes later but their rescue efforts were hampered by currents.
Some 1.48 million visited Thailand last year.
Chaiyaporn Subprasert, head of the Samui Rescue Centre, said warning systems were in place on all beaches on the island.
‘During the monsoon season, we constantly warn tourists, especially in high-risk areas such as Chaweng and Lamai beaches, where red flags indicate no swimming.
“While the location of the incident is not a swimming area but rather a landscape vantage point, the unexpected surge may have taken the victim by surprise.”
Local authorities have established a marine search and rescue center to coordinate ongoing efforts to locate the missing tourist and the man who reportedly went to save her.