British girl, 23, in Thai cave horror as tour guide dies and others injured

A British tourist was among dozens rescued from a flash flood that swept into a cave and killed a tour guide in Thailand.

Emily Lucy Davies, 23, from Newcastle, was with 21 other visitors exploring the restricted Nam Thalu Cave when the deluge struck as they were exiting the area in Surat Thani province on August 6 evening.

Thai tour guide Pongyot Kerddee, 37, was knocked off his feet and washed away by the flash flood back into the cave, while the rest of the group managed to brace themselves against the raging current.

Park rangers launched a rescue operation after receiving a report about the trapped individuals at 7 pm local time.

All the tourists and another Thai guide, Kraiprachak Jansatem, were led to safety, but Pongyot was still missing.

Rescuers found his lifeless body lodged in a rocky crevice in the cave early Wednesday morning. He was said to have been married to his wife just last month.

Authorities said Kraiprachak suffered a dislocated hip bone, while Emily and a Dutch woman, Micha Medyna van der Pluijm, 18, had minor injuries. They were treated at the Ban Takhun Hospital.

Two other wounded individuals declined to go to the hospital.

Jessada Jitrat, Governor of Surat Thani Province, said: 'I have been monitoring the situation throughout the night. Ban Takhun District officials will be co-ordinating with the Khao Sok National Park, rescuers, volunteers, and boat operators to provide assistance to the tourists.'

Local media reported that entry to the Nam Thalu Cave, located next to the Rajjaprabha Dam, is prohibited from June to November because of the seasonal flooding.

It was unclear how the Thai tour guides were able to access the area.

The cave was also the site of a horror flood that killed another Brit tourist and seven others in 2007.

John Cullen, 24, drowned while saving his fiancee Helena Carroll, 21, from the surging floodwaters.

Nam Thalu Cave stretches 600 metres long and is known for the beautiful stalactites and stalagmites lining its interior.

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.