Police dogs have joined the hunt for two missing Russian siblings after their dismantled motorcycle was found buried in a cemetery. Two suspects are subject to arrest as messages suggesting the Russian siblings were being pursued emerge as a chilling new development.
A distressed Russian mother has pleaded for answers as Thai police race to find her two missing children after detectives uncovered their dismantled motorcycle buried in an old cemetery, deployed specialist police dogs and issued arrest warrants for two suspects. The investigation has also taken a darker turn after officers confirmed the family received messages before contact was lost, indicating 22-year-old Diana Nazimova and her 17-year-old brother Roman believed they were being pursued, evidence police have yet to disclose as investigators piece together one of Pattaya’s most disturbing missing persons cases.
A massive police search has intensified in Chonburi after specialist K-9 teams were deployed to hunt for two Russian siblings who vanished during a pre-dawn motorcycle ride nearly a week ago.
At the same time, detectives uncovered the siblings’ dismantled motorcycle buried in an old cemetery and secured arrest warrants for two Thai suspects linked to its disposal.
Diana Nazimova, 22, and her 17-year-old brother Roman have not been seen since leaving their Huai Yai home shortly after 4 am on Sunday, July 26.
Since then, investigators have reconstructed their final movements using CCTV footage, mobile phone data and witness statements. Now, the search has shifted to the area where police believe both siblings’ phone signals suddenly disappeared.
Specialist police dogs join expanding search after investigators pinpoint final mobile phone signal location
At 10 am on Thursday, Pol Maj Gen Kiattisak Sarathong-oi, commander of the Investigation Division of Provincial Police Region 2, assembled officers outside Khao Chi Chan Elephant Park in Na Chom Thian subdistrict.
The briefing brought together investigators, Bang Lamung district officials, rescue personnel and specialist dog handlers before the operation moved into the surrounding countryside.
Notably, the search included Police Dog Lieutenant “Yaya” and Police Dog Lieutenant “Hunter” from the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s K-9 unit. Both dogs were brought in to trace any remaining scent left by the missing brother and sister. Handlers first presented clothing belonging to Diana and Roman before leading the dogs into the search zone.
As part of the operation, officers split into several coordinated teams. Each group received a specific search sector covering Na Chom Thian subdistrict in Sattahip district and neighbouring Huai Yai in Bang Lamung.
Detectives simultaneously reviewed the suspected movements of those believed to have handled the siblings’ motorcycle after the disappearance. Their objective was straightforward. Find concealed evidence and locate the missing pair.
Search teams comb forest, abandoned buildings and wells as detectives reconstruct the siblings’ final route
In parallel, search teams swept abandoned buildings, a disused well and dense woodland. Police dogs worked through difficult terrain while investigators examined locations considered significant by the inquiry. Officers also searched land between Siricharoenwan Forest Park and the giant Buddha image carved into the cliffs at Khao Chi Chan. Police believe this was the final area where both siblings’ mobile phones remained active.
According to investigators, telecommunications analysis has provided the clearest picture yet of the pair’s final journey. Police said the Honda motorcycle entered Highway 331, also known as the Sattahip-Chachoengsao Road, at about 4.35 am. It then made a U-turn before reaching Sattahip Police Station. Shortly afterwards, it travelled towards Sattahip before turning onto Khao Chi Chan Road.
Then came the critical moment. Shortly before 5 am, both mobile phone signals disappeared. Almost simultaneously, investigators said the mobile phone signal of a man identified as Mr Pong also vanished. Police have not explained the significance of that coincidence. However, they confirmed it remains a central part of the investigation.
Meanwhile, officers continue examining every movement recorded before the phones went silent. CCTV footage, mobile data and witness evidence are all being compared to establish an exact timeline. Detectives believe that narrowing the final minutes before contact was lost remains one of the investigation’s highest priorities.
Buried motorcycle found after villagers report suspicious digging near old cemetery in Huai Yai woodland
The latest operation followed Wednesday’s dramatic discovery of the siblings’ motorcycle. Police from Huai Yai Police Station, the Chonburi Provincial Investigation Unit and the Tourist Police Investigation Unit rushed to the old Thung Luang cemetery near Chak Taeng intersection after villagers reported suspicious digging.
The burial site sits about 200 metres from the Na Jomtien-Map Ta Phut motorway in Moo 9 of Huai Yai subdistrict. Residents told investigators they had seen several men working there before burying motorcycles. Those reports immediately triggered a police response.
On arrival, officers found a large crowd gathered outside the cemetery. Villagers also pointed out that freshly cut branches had been placed across the entrance, apparently blocking access. That immediately heightened suspicions. Residents then directed investigators towards a patch of recently disturbed ground.
After excavating the site, officers uncovered the dismantled remains of a black and grey Honda ADV motorcycle carrying Chonburi registration 4 KS 6379. Police later confirmed it belonged to Diana and Roman. Every major component had been separated before burial. Investigators believe considerable effort was made to conceal the vehicle beneath the soil.
Search widens as buried motorcycle, suspicious messages and nearby suspect’s home sharpen inquiries
In response, officers immediately expanded the crime scene. Rescue teams joined the search while divers were asked to examine a nearby pond for possible evidence. Search parties also spread into surrounding woodland as investigators looked for further clues linked to the disappearance.
Separately, detectives examined the location itself. The burial site lies close to the home of a man known as “Pong”, who previously appeared in CCTV footage reviewed during the investigation. Police have not disclosed his exact role. Nevertheless, investigators have repeatedly confirmed the location remains of significant interest.
Earlier evidence has also taken on fresh importance. Before disappearing, the siblings sent messages to their mother indicating they believed they were being followed. Those communications now form another key strand of the inquiry. Detectives continue analysing their timing alongside CCTV footage and mobile phone records.
Local officials played a crucial role in locating the buried motorcycle. Assistant village headman Chakrakrit Boonmak, 56, known locally as Uncle Whor, said community leaders became suspicious after reviewing CCTV footage connected with the case. They decided to inspect the area themselves before contacting police.
Village officials alert police after four suspicious men flee, leaving freshly disturbed ground behind
According to Mr Chakrakrit, fresh information arrived at about 10 am indicating several men had been digging in the area since around 10 pm the previous evening. He and other officials travelled to the location and encountered four suspicious men. Believing they could be armed, they withdrew instead of confronting them directly.
Police were immediately called. By the time officers returned with local officials, the four men had fled. Only the freshly disturbed burial site remained. Excavation later revealed the dismantled motorcycle belonging to the missing siblings, transforming the investigation overnight.
The discovery quickly accelerated the investigation. Within hours, detectives widened the search across Huai Yai and neighbouring Na Chom Thian while specialist units joined the operation. Search teams were ordered to examine every location that could have been used to conceal evidence or hide the missing siblings.
Meanwhile, police officers, Bang Lamung district officials, Sawang Boriboon Pattaya rescue volunteers and K-9 teams continued searching throughout Thursday afternoon. Police drones also joined the operation, scanning woodland and inaccessible ground from above. Together, the teams steadily expanded the search radius beyond the original crime scene.
Fresh searches and family appeal fail to uncover new clues despite widening police operation
On another front, officers revisited locations already examined earlier in the investigation. Detectives believed fresh searches could uncover evidence missed during the initial response. Consequently, abandoned structures, overgrown land and isolated areas received renewed attention.
Relatives of the missing siblings remained close to the operation throughout the day. As part of local tradition, family members joined a forest-opening ceremony before accompanying officers through the search area surrounding the buried motorcycle. Despite the extensive effort, investigators found no further evidence.
Later that afternoon, a representative acting on behalf of the siblings’ mother arrived at Huai Yai Police Station to provide investigators with additional information. The woman, identified only as Ms Emmy, spoke after meeting detectives handling the case.
She said the children’s mother remained under severe emotional strain. She had been unable to sleep or eat since her son and daughter disappeared. Even so, she continued hoping they would be found alive.
Family says final message deepens fears as mother pleads for missing children to be found quickly
According to the family, Diana and Roman regularly left home at around 4 am on their motorcycle before returning within about an hour. Therefore, their failure to return on Sunday morning immediately alarmed their mother. She realised something was seriously wrong when daylight arrived without any contact.
Notably, the family believes Diana may have been in danger before communication ended. That concern stems from what relatives described as her final message before contact was lost. Police have not released its contents. However, investigators confirmed earlier that messages sent to the siblings’ mother indicated they believed they were being followed.
The family has deliberately avoided commenting on reports identifying possible suspects. Instead, their representative said their only priority was finding Diana and Roman as quickly as possible. She also thanked police officers, rescue personnel, government agencies and members of the Russian community who have continued supporting the search. Finally, she requested privacy as the family struggled to cope with the disappearance.
In parallel, detectives pursued the criminal investigation surrounding the buried motorcycle. Investigators from Huai Yai Police Station obtained arrest warrants from Pattaya Provincial Court for Thana Kertthong, 43, also known as “Pong”, and Thongchai Srinil, 39.
Arrest warrants target two suspects as detectives deepen their enquiries around the buried Honda motorbike
Both men are wanted on charges of jointly committing theft at night using a vehicle or receiving stolen property. Police believe they were involved in removing, dismantling and burying the Honda motorcycle after the siblings disappeared. Officers stressed the investigation remains active and efforts to locate both suspects continue.
Separately, investigators followed reports suggesting Diana and Roman may have travelled to Chanthaburi province. Officers were dispatched to examine the information and check potential sightings. So far, however, police said they have found no evidence that either sibling ever left the Chonburi area.
Earlier CCTV footage remains central to the investigation. Security cameras recorded the siblings leaving their home at the Bristol Park Pattaya housing estate shortly after 4 am on Sunday. Security guards told police the pair greeted them as they rode past the entrance.
Next, cameras captured the Honda travelling towards the Map Ta Phut-Na Jomtien motorway toll plaza at about 4.21 am. The motorcycle then made a U-turn before stopping alongside another motorcycle on a frontage road. Investigators said the riders appeared to speak briefly before continuing.
CCTV and phone records reconstruct final journey before the Russian siblings vanished without trace
Soon afterwards, both motorcycles travelled together along the frontage road near Wat Bang Yai. Then, at 4.33 am, Diana and Roman reached traffic lights beneath the Ban Sak Ngaeo motorway bridge. That was the final confirmed CCTV sighting of the siblings.
Investigators later combined the CCTV footage with mobile phone records to reconstruct the pair’s final known movements. According to police, the siblings later entered Highway 331 before turning towards Khao Chi Chan. Their mobile phone signals disappeared less than half an hour later. Almost simultaneously, investigators said the mobile phone signal belonging to Mr Pong also vanished.
Detectives have not disclosed whether that timing was coincidental. Nevertheless, officers continue examining telecommunications data alongside surveillance footage and witness statements. Every movement is being compared to establish an accurate minute-by-minute timeline.
The discovery of the buried motorcycle has become the investigation’s most significant breakthrough. Investigators believe whoever dismantled the Honda made a determined effort to destroy evidence and delay its discovery. Every major component had been separated before being buried beneath the soil inside the old cemetery.
Search continues as police dogs, drones and detectives pursue every lead after major breakthrough
Police say the location itself has become a critical focus. The burial site stands close to the home of a man previously identified during the investigation. It also lies within the wider area where officers believe the siblings’ final movements unfolded before contact was lost.
As a result, specialist search teams continue examining woodland, open fields, abandoned buildings, water sources and isolated ground surrounding the cemetery. Police dogs “Yaya” and “Hunter” remain part of that operation, working alongside investigators searching for any trace of the missing brother and sister.
Police search for Russian siblings who disappeared after Sunday morning motorbike ride in Pattaya
For now, the search continues on several fronts. Detectives are pursuing the two wanted suspects. Search teams remain in the field. Telecommunications experts continue analysing digital evidence. Rescue personnel are supporting ground operations. At the same time, officers are following every credible lead that emerges.
Nearly a week after Diana Nazimova and her brother Roman disappeared, investigators have recovered their buried motorcycle, identified key search areas and obtained two arrest warrants. Even so, the siblings remain missing, and police say the operation to find them is continuing.
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