Crime
Mother of Missing Russian Woman on Koh Tao Hopes Search will Continue Until her Daughters Found
Police take Varvara Namestnikova, the mother of a missing Russian tourist to where her daughter had visited before she went missing. Photo Supapong Chaolan
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KOH TAO – The mother of a missing Russian tourist, Valentina Novozhyonova is still pinning her hopes on the authorities continuing their search to find her even though she has been missing for almost a month.
Varvara Namestnikova said she was satisfied after getting a briefing from Surat Thani police chief Pol Maj Gen Apichart Boonsrirote on the search operation on Sunday, but was still relying on police efforts to find her 23-year-old daughter.
Pol Maj Gen Apichart said we are still carrying out their search until we know the reason as to why she went missing or until they find her.
Mrs Namestnikova said she learned about the disappearance from a friend of her daughter in Russia and came to Koh Tao in Koh Phangan district with relatives.
Mrs Namestnikova daughter was reported missing to police on March 4 after she did not check out at Koh Tao Hostel on Feb 16. She had visited the island for diving.
Police believe the tourist went missing while going diving but did not rule out other possibilities.
Items found by divers on the seabed in Chalok Ban Kao Bay on Thursday, and are the best lead yet as to what became of the missing Russian tourist.
Pol Lt Col Napa Senathip, a deputy chief of Koh Tao police sent a box containing bones, tissue samples, a goggle strap and a green vest to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Police General Hospital in Bangkok.
Forensic specialists will need about a week to confirm whether they match DNA samples supplied by her mother and samples taken from her hotel room.
Divers resumed their search on Sunday at the two locations by diving side by side from seven metres to 17 metres deep but have not found additional evidence.
