Two schoolchildren drown after ignoring warnings and swimming in sea

Two schoolboys drowned after allegedly ignoring weather warnings to go swimming at a beach during a storm in Thailand.

Jaturapat Ajmeuang and Phorames Nontabotr, both ninth grade students, went paddling with their classmates off Surin Beach in Phuket despite the red flags warning of dangerous swimming conditions on July 13.

However, the boys were soon swept away by powerful waves, and had to be rescued by lifeguards on jet skis.

Four of them were taken back to shore, including Jaturapat who tragically drowned during the rescue.

Search teams, including a helicopter from the Third Fleet of the Royal Thai Navy, scoured the sea for the missing Phorames, but the poor weather hampered their efforts.

Rescuers finally found the hapless boy washed ashore a day later. His identity was confirmed by his father, Anusorn Nonthabut, 49.

Phorames's body will undergo a post-mortem examination before being handed over to his family for the funeral.

Meanwhile, local officials have warned the public not to swim in the sea when a red flag is up.

Thailand and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are in their annual monsoon rainy season which sees soaring temperatures followed by powerful rain storms in the afternoon leading to widespread flash floods.