A missing female Russian tourist who reportedly floated seven hours in the sea was rescued by fishermen in Thailand.

Junior, 32, said she drank 'a small amount of alcohol' before going for a swim off Bang Saray Beach in Chonburi province on September 25 morning.

However, she said she became disoriented and lost after paddling away from the coast. She claimed to have drifted in the open waters for around seven hours before a passing fishing boat spotted her floating in the Bang Saray Sea at around 4pm.

Rescue worker Supoj Chomdokmai, 40, said: 'The crew of a squid fishing boat called us to report that they found a foreign woman floating approximately five miles from Na Jomtien Beach.

'We dispatched a speedboat to help rescue her. She was in an exhausted state when she was pulled aboard the boat.'

Junior was safely brought back to shore and taken to a hospital for a check-up. She was later taken to her accommodation in the Sattahip district.

Thailand has become a popular destination for Russian tourists escaping military conscription in the war with Ukraine. The Thai government has encouraged the influx of Russian holidaymakers with visa-free programmes.