POLICE in the southern Surat Thani province yesterday intensified the search for a Russian tourist who went missing two weeks ago, amid suspicions she might have got in trouble while snorkelling off Koh Tao.

Valentina Novozhenova, 23, disappeared from a Koh Tao hotel on February 16, the day she was supposed to check out after a week-long stay.

“The initial investigation suggested no clues of an attack or murder,” said Surat Thani provincial police chief Apichart Boonsriroj. “Her latest communications via social media indicated she wanted to free dive deeper than 22.3 metres without an assistant or equipment.”

Police are seeking cooperation from diving groups in the area to help to search for her, he said...

http://pattayaone.news/en/missing-russian-woman/

Thailand's finest at work...

Missing Russian tourist – authorities turn to fortune tellers

Authorities searching for missing Russian tourist Valentina Novozhyonova had another fruitless day in the sea and on land.

So they have now turned to fortune tellers. Three of Koh Tao’s best mystics were contacted and asked where they think Valentina might be, Thairath reported.

They all agreed independently that she was in the sea.
So the sea search has been intensified...
http://www.samuitimes.com/missing-russi ... e-tellers/

Koh Tao Tourism Authority, the island's No. 1 specialist in one-way tickets.

...

CEOCambodiaNews wrote: ↑Mon Mar 06, 2017 6:57 pm “Her latest communications via social media indicated she wanted to free dive deeper than 22.3 metres without an assistant or equipment.”

I think this snippet is crucial to the whole story. I'm not sure I've ever swum more than five meters deep myself. More than twenty is really extreme.

Missing Russian loved free diving, but was troubled

SURAT THANI - Police have expanded their search for Valentina Novozhyonova, 23, who went missing on Koh Tao more than two weeks ago after discovering that she was a free-diving enthusiast and possibly suffered from a mental problem.

Koh Tao police on Sunday learned from a Russian man identified only as Alexander that he had met the woman on Koh Tao as they shared an interest in free diving.

The information corresponded with police finding that her weight belt, fins, goggles and a towel were not in her room. Police, volunteers and local leaders went to possible free diving locations of Koh Tao to try to find the blue towel as they believed that the woman might have left it where she was diving.

Pol Lt Col Napha Senathip, deputy chief of the Koh Tao police station, said on Sunday that the mobile phone of Ms Novozhyonova showed that she used the Line messaging software to seek advice from a psychiatrist. The communication indicated she had an unreasonable fear and the psychiatrist had advised her to seek help quickly.
Police also found medication in her bag and asked a medical authority to identify it...
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general ... s-troubled

Body parts found in Koh Tao
10 March 2017

According to Nation TV on Thursday evening dive teams discovered five objects believed to be body parts off the coast of Koh Tao. The chilling discovery was made in Chalok Baan Kao Bay. A green vest and dive mask were also recovered. The ‘objects’, that have been described as bone and flesh, have been sent for forensic examination in a bid to discover if they belong to missing Russian Miss Novozhyonova. The green vest and dive mask were found in four to five meters of water.

Police are still appealing for information with regards to the missing woman, who was said to have been free diving in Koh tao where hundreds go diving and snorkelling each day. It is unclear why a body would be found in pieces at this stage. The area where the discovery was made has been cleared of boats. The search will continue on Friday.

http://www.samuitimes.com/body-parts-found-koh-tao/

John Bingham wrote: ↑Thu Mar 09, 2017 1:13 am

CEOCambodiaNews wrote: ↑Mon Mar 06, 2017 6:57 pm “Her latest communications via social media indicated she wanted to free dive deeper than 22.3 metres without an assistant or equipment.”

I think this snippet is crucial to the whole story. I'm not sure I've ever swum more than five meters deep myself. More than twenty is really extreme.

20-25 meters/60-80 feet is the depth they try to take you in the basic freediving course. Many people have lost their lives freediving alone but, if the body parts turn out to be the poor girl I have to think murder was involved.

yes must be murder of course.