Pol Lt Col Ronnapoom Permpoon of the Tha Chatchai Police was called to the beach by Winai Sae-iew, Village Headman of Moo 4, Mai Khao, at 7:07am.
Police soon arrived at the scene, in front of a hotel at the southern end of the beach, just north of the airport, along with support from Phuket Tourist Police, officers from the Phuket Tourist Assistance Center (TAC), a medical team from Vachira Phuket Hospital, Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers, to find the American man already pulled onto the beach and the body of the Thai woman still in the water amid strong waves and strong winds.
The body of the woman was brought ashore as tourists and local residents looked on. The bodies of the couple were taken to Thalang Hospital, police confirmed.
The couple checked in at a hotel nearby yesterday, police reported.
Officers believe one of the two encountered serious difficulty in the waves, and the other went in to help them, with neither of the two surviving.
The couple entered the water early, before lifeguards arrived at the beach, Mr Winai noted.
However, red flags were already posted along the beach overnight, but higher up along the shoreline.
* The Phuket News is withholding the names of the man and the woman until it has been confirmed that their next of kin have been notified.