The UK Foreign Office is supporting the family of a British woman after a scuba diving tour boat reportedly capsized off the coast of Thailand.

Millie Young, 57, reportedly from Brighton, and a female Thai crew member went missing near the Ko Torinla island, in the Andaman Sea, local media reported.

The trip was being organised by the Sawan Tour company, news website Khaosod reported.

Around 18 passengers were believed to be on board at the time, 16 of which have been rescued.

In a statement to Sky News, a Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British woman and are in contact with the local authorities after an incident in Thailand.”

Officials said inflatable boats and a helicopter have been used as part of the search, according to Khaosod.

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They believe the pair may have been swept up to 111km away from the boat – known as the Reggae Queen – by strong currents.

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Rear Admiral Pongmit Narongkul, the navy chief leading the effort, told The Telegraph: “The wind in the area is quite strong, which is an obstacle to the search.

“There are cargo and fishing ships in the area and they have been instructed to continue searching at night, until the missing people are found.”

Ko Torinla island is part of the Surin Islands National Park – an archipelago of five islands some 55km from the mainland.

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