Phuket –
Authorities in Phuket have launched an investigation after a 70‑year‑old man holding dual British and Australian citizenship was discovered dead aboard his private yacht anchored off Cape Khao Khad, opposite the Veranda Hotel in Wichit.
The Wichit Police told the Phuket Express that they received the report at around 12:30 p.m. on Sunday (January 11th). The vessel, SYNERGY SYDNEY, had been moored offshore when officers, forensic specialists, and a medical examiner from Vachira Phuket Hospital boarded to examine the scene.
The deceased, later identified only as Mr. Graham was found lying on a mattress in the yacht’s forward cabin. His body showed signs of advanced decomposition, with doctors estimating he had been dead for one to two days. No external injuries, evidence of struggle, or signs of forced entry were observed. The cause of death remains undetermined pending autopsy results.
A close friend, Mr. Matthias, 54, a German national residing on a nearby yacht, told investigators he became concerned when Graham had not been seen since midday. Upon checking the vessel, he discovered his friend’s lifeless body and alerted hotel staff, who then contacted police.
Local residents reported that Graham had lived alone on his yacht in the area for nearly a decade, frequently sailing between Phuket and Malaysia.
The body has been transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital for a full autopsy. Authorities will notify the British and Australian embassies to coordinate with the deceased’s family for religious rites and repatriation.
