An Australian surfer survived a terrifying ordeal after a search and rescue operation found him 8 miles from the mainland. His father described his son’s survival as “one in a million.”
A news release from the New South Wales Police Force explains that the surfer was located on July 10 after disappearing the day before. The 19-year-old left his house in Wooli at around 2:30 PM and headed to the beach. However, his family grew concerned and notified the police department when he failed to return home.
The police force says they located the man following a land and water search around the beach at approximately 9 AM. Authorities found him on a small island and thanked the public and media for their assistance. Per a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), the 19-year-old surfer is Darcy Deefholts. His family notified authorities after they found his clothes at a beach access point. The rescue team found him marooned on an uninhabited island 8 miles offshore. It’s aptly named North Solitary Island.
The Surfer’s Father Admits He Almost Gave Up Hope
Terry Deefholts, Darcy’s father, told ABC, “It’s kind of surreal. I was at the point of thinking the absolute worst. I didn’t give up hope, but jeez, I was close.” The worried dad posted a gut-wrenching message on Facebook before his son was found, pleading for help from people with boats, drones, and 4WDs. “We are overwhelmed by the community efforts in the search so far. There is only one thing we want now – our beloved boy to be found safe,” he wrote.
Another family member, Melissa Smith, told ABC that Darcy’s uncle was among the team that found him. She said, “He’d obviously gone out too far on his longboard, and he couldn’t get back. He’s a survivor, a strong boy, he would have known that was a safe place, I guess.”
Marine Rescue Wooli posted several updates on the search effort. They wrote, “So often we search for missing persons with no result or a devastating result, and this one made our day.” Authorities transported Darcy to Grafton Base Hospital after his ordeal. He was reportedly cold and suffering from exposure, but was otherwise uninjured.