A tourist was swept to her death by a giant wave after filming herself doing yoga from rocks on a beach.
Actress Kamilla Belyatskaya was filming a video on a pink yoga mat on the rocks off the popular tourist island of Koh Samui in Thailand moments before her death.
However, she was then thrown into the choppy sea by an enormous wave in front of horrified onlookers and drowns.
Belyatskaya, who was based in Novosibirsk, Russia, had been on vacation in Thailand with her boyfriend.
In shocking footage, that was shared by local news outlets, the 24-year-old actress is seen sitting on the pink yoga mat when she is suddenly hit by a massive wave.
Belyatskaya is then pulled into the sea — leaving behind only her pink yoga mat. In the footage, she can be seen struggling in the choppy waters.
A bystander reportedly followed Belyatskaya into the waves to try and save her, without success. Rescue teams arrived only 15 minutes after Belyatskaya was swept into the sea.
However, rescue efforts were also hampered by the turbulent seas as well as the fact that jet skis and other equipment had been moved indoors in anticipation of a storm.
It is understood that red flags were flying on the beaches of Koh Samui due to the monsoon season weather conditions, warning people not to go into the water.
Chaiyaporn Subprasert, head of the Samui Rescue Centre, says warning systems were in place across the island’s beaches.
“During monsoon season, we constantly warn tourists, especially in high-risk areas like Chaweng and Lamai beaches, where red flags indicate no swimming,” Subprasert says.
“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.”
According to several reports, Belyatskaya had shared a video on social media just before she died in which she told viewers about how much she loved the rocky beaches of Koh Samui.
“I love Samui so much,” Belyatskaya tells her followers in the video. “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.”
Image credits: Header photo via social media (left) and Depositphotos (right).