Missing Brighton artist Millie Young’s last Instagram posts before she vanished when dive boat capsized in Thailand – as hopes fade and empty life raft is found

Missing British tourist Millie Young shared happy photos of her enjoying her Thai adventure with family friends before disappearing after her submarine capsized last week.

In her most recent Instagram update, Ms Young, 57, posted a series of photos of her in a salon, with friends, and on a kayak with the caption 'new toes after kayaking adventure'.

The Brighton artist, who has lived in Thailand since 2007, had shared a number of snaps of herself enjoying remote hideaways, sunsets and nature on the mainland before disappearing near the Surin Islands archipelago on Saturday morning.

Rescue teams have now searched for three days for Ms Young and crew member Samniang Chaichana, 67, who disappeared in rough seas at around 9am on December 23 after the Reggae Queen boat sank six kilometers from the popular tourist hotspot in southern Thailand.

It is understood that Mrs Young was on a dream trip with family friends from her hometown when the boat sank. Her parents Jo and Phillip Degregorio and their two children Oksa and Daisy were brought to safety by a passing fishing boat, but the Brighton artist has not yet been found.

On Christmas Day it was reported that an inflatable life raft had been found 20 nautical miles from where the ship sank.

Navy chiefs said Monday that a helicopter and dozens of ships had been monitoring ocean currents in the area about 35 miles (56 kilometers) from the Thai mainland — but had otherwise found no evidence that brought them closer to the two missing women.

According to Admiral Pongmit Narongkul, the chief of staff of the Third Naval Region, the raft they found was empty.

He said: “A Navy patrol aircraft is flying through the area along with Navy boats to search for the two victims.

'An inflatable life raft was placed twenty nautical miles from where the ship sank, but there was no one in it.

“The flight path search area has been extended to the western part of the Surin Islands, with a radius of 15 nautical miles from the forecast point.

“The missing persons have not been found, but the search continues.”

Ms Young, who had split her time between Thailand and Britain in recent years, had met relatives at Bangkok airport before heading off on holiday to the beautiful southern spot, where clear waters and diverse marine life are a big draw . for snorkeling and diving trips.

They booked five places on the Reggae Queen boat and left. The ship was then buffeted by large waves and hit the water about four nautical miles from the enclave of tropical islands.

Officials said a Mayday call was made shortly before 9 a.m. The red, yellow and green boat – painted in the colors of the Rastafarian flag – sank shortly afterwards.

Shocked holidaymakers managed to escape to safety, but Ms Young is said to have been dragged into the choppy seas along with Samniang, the chef on board the ship.

Her shocked British friends were among those rescued when they were pulled aboard a passing fishing boat. They were pictured with twelve other rescued tourists and four crew members as they were returned safely to shore.

Thailand's navy, along with helicopters and the coast guard, are now searching for missing Ms Young and the mother of two.

Sunee Panpeng, 43, the daughter of the missing cook, said her mother had worked on the voyages for about four years and would have three days at sea before returning to shore.

She added: 'When I was told the ship had sunk I immediately worried about my mother as she cannot swim.

'We can only pray that she is found. Now I'm waiting for a miracle.'

Supoj Rodruang Na Nongkhai, the governor of Phang Nga province, said he had ordered all boats in the area to look out for the two missing people in the Andaman Sea region.

He said rescue teams were searching in the direction of ocean currents, which are believed to have carried the missing couple in a northwesterly direction.

The governor added: “The missing person is a British woman and a Thai crew member. We are using all our resources to find them.

“All fishing boats and tourist boats in the area have been instructed to search for the tourists while they are at sea.”

An official from the Phang Nga Provincial Port Security Control Center said on Saturday: “A report was received at around 9am stating that the ship was sinking six kilometers south of the Surin Islands.

'The boat took tourists on a snorkeling and diving trip. Immediately help was provided and twelve tourists were rescued by a passing fishing boat.

'Two people are still missing at the moment. There is one foreigner and one Thai. One naval vessel and rescue teams are searching the area.

A day earlier, dozens of passengers were rescued from a sinking ship bound for the Thai island of Koh Tao.

Poor weather conditions are expected to continue to plague Thailand's southwestern coast until the end of the week and could further hamper search efforts.

Sea conditions in November and December in southern Thailand are typically the most dangerous of the year, with strong currents, powerful waves and heavy rainfall.

Ships would have been warned of the dangers due to the circumstances and advised not to go to sea.

Thai islands have become popular destinations for diving and snorkeling trips because of their clear waters and diverse marine life.