The desperate attempts to save the life of cricket legend Shane Warne have been detailed by police officers and rescue teams on the Thai island of Koh Samui, as the sports world mourns and the 52-year-old leg-spinner’s final moments are pieced together by authorities. Warne was on a week-long holiday with three friends at the Samujana Villas resort, the start of a three-month lay-off after covering the 2021-22 Ashes series for Fox Sports. “They were going to go out for a drink at five o’clock,” explained Warne’s manager, James Erskine. “[They] knocked on his door at 5.15pm because Warnie was always on time and said: ‘C’mon you’re going to be late,’ and then realised something was wrong.” Four days ago the champion leg-spinner had posted on Instagram his plan to drop weight and get back to his peak physical condition, telling his 1.3 million followers: “Operation shred has started (10 days in) & the goal by July is to get back to this shape from a few years ago! Let’s go.” Warne had retired to his room on Friday afternoon to watch coverage of the Australia-Pakistan Test with plans to meet again that night for drinks and dinner. His final Instagram message was to wish “good night” to his followers from the villa with an image of the island and the infinity pool. When Warne did not arrive for dinner as scheduled, his friends returned to the room and found the 52-year-old unresponsive. Warne’s business manager, Andrew Neophitou, was attempting CPR on the father-of-three when local medics arrived. According to Thai local news, the Wat Plai Leam rescue team was first on the scene. “We got a call around 5.30pm about an unconscious case,” said the rescue team chief, Phet Boonrak. “We got there in five minutes ... The person was unconscious and had a weak pulse, so we tried CPR and called the ambulance. His friends were so shocked. They said they had found him unconscious on the bed and moved him to the floor to attempt CPR. “In the room, there was vomit on the floor but no sign of injuries. The ambulance arrived within 15 minutes, they took him to the hospital immediately.” Warne was pronounced dead at the hospital, with Bo Phut police confirming his death shortly afterwards. “I got a call around 7pm yesterday to go to Thai international hospital about the death of a tourist,” Lieutenant-colonel Chatchawin Nakmusik told the Guardian. “The villa manager took me to check at the scene … His friends told me that Shane was sleeping in his bedroom in the afternoon. Later on, when they wanted to have dinner, they went to call him but he already passed out. They informed the villa management and called the ambulance. They tried to do CPR but Shane was already dead.” As the cricket world mourns, Thai police outlined the next grim steps. Investigators will send Warne’s body for autopsy at Surathani hospital to find the cause of death and inform the embassy of Australia in Thailand of results. Investigators will also now check CCTV footage at the hotel to collect further evidence for the case report. “This afternoon, I will call his friend and manager to give a statement at the police station,” said Lt Col Nakmusik. “I am waiting for the autopsy report. If there is nothing suspicious, then the case is closed. The family will be responsible to take the body back to their home country.” The Australian foreign affairs minister, Marise Payne, said Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials had spoken to those travelling with Warne, and would arrive in Koh Samui late on Saturday. “Dfat is working with Thai authorities to confirm arrangements following his passing, assist with his repatriation and provide other assistance on the ground,” she said. Allan McKinnon, Australia’s ambassador to Thailand, later added: “There won’t be a proper statement as you would like tonight, but I would like to, on behalf of Shane Warne’s family and his travelling companions, thank [the] team here at the Bo Phut provincial police station and the hospital in Koh Samui for facilitating this process and getting Shane Warne back to Australia as quickly as possible. They have been very compassionate, very efficient and very understanding, so thank you. And that is the only statement we will be making at this time.” Tributes from around the world continued to be paid on Saturday. Elizabeth Hurley, who was engaged to the cricket legend from 2011 until their split in December 2013, described him as her “beloved Lionheart”. Sharing a photo of them together on Instagram, she wrote: “I feel like the sun has gone behind a cloud forever. RIP my beloved Lionheart shanewarne23.”