PHUKET: A 69-year-old Australian died on a day trip to the Similan islands yesterday despite the efforts of a Royal Thai Navy rescue group to revive him.

His body was taken back to Phuket. The cause of death is yet to be established but the man was not in the water at the time he collapsed.

He has been named as Peter McShane.

Today a Navy team responded to an SOS from a cargo ship and sent a vessel out to take the captain of the MV Oriloe to a Phuket hospital.

The captain sent a message saying he was feeling unwell and needed medical attention.