A missing Austrian businessman has been found dead on a Thai island.

Hotel resort manager Florian Klaus Hallermann, 56, from Vienna was last seen carrying a backpack on the beach as he walked to a remote trail for a morning jog on Phi Phi island, Krabi province, on September 11.

Worried relatives called the police when he failed to return home later that day.

Officers had been searching for him since Sunday amid fears he had become lost in the dense jungle.

His body was found on Wednesday evening September 15 at the foot of Laem Tong mountain which is about 60-70 degrees steep, and 300 meters away from the road.

Police found scratches on Florian’s arms, elbows, knees, and legs, and marks that appeared to have been caused by falling from height.

They also found a wristwatch, a wedding ring, a mobile phone kept in the man’s left pocket, a backpack, a certificate of Covid-19 negative test results, a mask, a raincoat, and one sports shoe next to his body.

Police Colonel Prasit Yodthong said: ‘The deceased was exploring the forest trails as he usually does on weekends. We believe that Florian fell from the top of the hill and his body crashed on the rocks and trees below. An autopsy is ongoing.’

The deceased’s wife Parinya Hallermann, 50 said: ‘I would like to thank the search team who helped until Florian’s body was found. Although the weather condition was not favorable, the search team did not give up.

‘I believe the police on Florian’s cause of death. However, I look forward to hearing more from the officers after an autopsy is done. Once everything is sorted I will bring my husband’s body back home to Phuket.’