Jakarta, Indonesia

Four Australian and two Indonesian surfers were found alive after their boat vanished Sunday (August 13) off the west coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra island.

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Reuters reported that one of the Indonesian crew members was still missing. Authorities on Tuesday ( August 15) said two boats carrying a total of 17 people embarked for the private island of Pinang from Nias island on Sunday; however, one of the boats carrying seven people failed to arrive at the destination after having been hit by bad weather.

Dramatic video has emerged on the internet showing rescuers meeting with the missing tourists after almost 38 hours at sea. The tourists were identified as Elliot Foote, Steph Weisse, Will Teagle, Jordan Short and two unnamed Indonesian nationals.

Watch the video here:

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The search for the third Indonesian tourist was still on.

Elliot Foote’s father speaks up to the media

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Elliot Foote, one of the Australian tourists, had gotten separated from the rest of his group as he had gone looking for assistance.

He was later found by authorities after they rescued the other stranded tourists.

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Foote’s father, Peter Foote, expressed his delight while saying, “I’m really happy it’s all turned out well and I hope he continues with his holiday.”

“He’s in a great place to celebrate, with his girlfriend [Weisse] and 10 mates in paradise. He’s still got eight nights to enjoy then I’m looking forward to him coming straight home,” he was quoted as saying by CNN.

According to local media reports, the Australian group was on a surf trip to mark Foote’s 30th birthday.

Search on for the missing Indonesian

The Australian government on Tuesday expressed gratitude for those involved in the search and rescue efforts.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in a post on X (Formerly Twitter) said, “The Australian government will continue to provide support to the four Australians and their families.”

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She added, “The search continues for a crew member who is still missing.”

The authorities haven't disclosed the names of the Indonesian crew members present on the boat.

Why Indonesia is popular among Australians?

Due to its proximity and availability of budget flights to destinations like Bali, Indonesia has always attracted Australian tourists.

While the western island of Sumatra is not frequently visited, the coral-fringed islands near Nias are favoured by adventurous surfers, offering numerous world-class breaks, especially around Lagundri Bay.

(With inputs from agencies)

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