An Austrian tourist has been arrested over a jet ski crash that killed a Russian man in Thailand.

David Robert Herbst, 25, was seen carving up water on the rented machine when he allegedly struck Kirill Golovachev, 58, on a beach on the holiday island of Phuket on December 17.

Footage shows the Austrian zipping across the water before swerving when he struck Kirill. The suspect continued operating the jet ski and later left the beach before returning to his hotel near the Karon beach.

Police officers launched a search following a report from a local cafe owner about the accident. Divers and fishermen found the dead tourist lodged on rocks at 12:45 am on December 18.

Officials believe he had been dead for around four hours. He was bleeding from his eyes, but had no visible wounds.

Authorities reviewed CCTV footage and identified the suspect as the Austrian backpacker David, from the city of Bregenz.

He was found to have left Phuket and travelled to a resort on Koh Phi Phi island in Krabi province, where police detained him on December 19 evening.

Police Colonel Surasak Jaidee, superintendent of the Koh Phi Phi Police Station, said: ‘The suspect was charged with negligence causing another person's death. He was handed over to the inquiry officer at Karon Police Station.'

David has denied the charges. He was remanded in custody.

Phuket has become one of the busiest tourist destinations in Southeast Asia following a surge in popularity this year.

However, it has caused a rise in the number of incidents involving foreigners being arrested, injured or killed.