A miraculous search and rescue occurred over the weekend when four stranded surfers were found in the ocean off the coast of Indonesia after they had gone missing.
The four surfers — Steph Weisse, Will Teagle, Jordan Short and Elliot Foote — were missing for roughly 38 hours at sea. Weisse, Teagle and Short were found alongside two Indonesian locals, and Foote was later found at a different location because he had separated from the group in an attempt to go get help.
They were part of a larger group of 17 who had set out on wooden speedboats from Nias Island on Sunday and headed to Pinang Island before the boats began to encounter storms.
When the second boat reached shore late Sunday, and no one had heard from the other group, their families reportedly started to get worried.
Pinang Island is a rather remote island part of the Banyak Islands off the coast of Indonesia. There are roughly 99 islands in the group, with most of them fully uninhabited. The Islands are gaining popularity with tourists and surfers looking to explore places less traveled, as the islands are known for exceptional swell conditions as well as seas with stunning coral and pristine beaches.
Footage shared on social media shows the moment the surfers were found out at sea, with loud cheers of excitement and relief.
@dailytelegraph Rescuers captured the incredible moment three of the four Aussie surfers missing off Indonesia’s coast were found. Aussie surfer Elliot Foote, who was missing with three friends after his boat sank, also described the moment when his rescued mates spotted him in the water from a boat, in a video he sent to family and friends back in Australia. #missingpersons #rescuemission #safety #indonesia #surfing #travel #holiday #alive ♬ Epic Inspiration – DM Production
In an interview with local outlet 7News Australia, Foote’s father was overjoyed when he found out that his son and his friends had been found.
“They’ve been in the water a long time, I don’t know how they’re going to be health-wise,” he said. “But they’re found, they’re alive, they’re well. It’s all good, it’s fantastic news. It’s unbelievable actually, I’m so stoked about that.”
The group had been surfing for Foote’s 30th birthday.
Footage on Instagram appears to show the moment the Australian surfers were found by rescuers: pic.twitter.com/ZVnj6CHGHN
— Anthony Segaert (@anthonysegaert) August 15, 2023
The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong, said that the government would continue to support the families of the surfers in whatever they may need moving forward.
The search continues for a crew member who is still missing.
Our thoughts are with them and their loved ones.
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) August 15, 2023
One Indonesian crew member remains missing.
