The father of one of the Australian surfers who were missing at sea off the coast of Indonesia has spoken of the 37-hour ordeal, saying his son was “petrified” as he drifted on a surfboard through the night.
Elliot Foote, his girlfriend Steph Weisse and friends Will Teagle and Jordan Short were in a small boat that capsized in the sea during a storm near Pinang island off Aceh on Sunday night.
They all survived after drifting in the water for nearly two days. Three Indonesian crew members were also onboard, one of whom was still missing on Tuesday afternoon.
Foote’s father, Peter Foote, said it almost felt like a “death in the family” when he learned his son was missing at sea.
“It was so stressful,” he said on Tuesday. “But it’s all good now.
“It’s just an amazing survival thing. He looks a bit of a mess but he’s OK. He just got a few cuts on his side, maybe from the boat.”
Peter said the boat was hit by a large wave during a “really bad storm” and everyone was thrown into the water.
“They all grabbed floatation devices and surfboards and they were huddling together,” he said.
“But Elliot decided to paddle and get help. He thought an island was in a particular direction and set off.
“He was petrified. He was drifting on a surfboard on his own for a day-and-a-half and it broke my heart to hear how scared he was.
“At night he was drifting all alone in an ocean and it’s jet black.”
The others were picked up by the catamaran skippered by an Australian living in the region but Elliot was not located for some hours after that.
Peter said Elliot was interested in health and fitness, which likely helped him survive.
“He does breathing techniques, he fasts, does ice baths and I think that helped him survive,” he said. “He was on the board for 37 hours.”
Peter said Elliot and his friends were going to stay on for the rest of their surfing trip, despite the ordeal. “He’s with his best mates, the weather’s coming good and the surf is fantastic.
“People keep asking me which hospital is he in. None of them went to hospital. They’re back at the resort.”
Peter said he had been told one crew member was still missing.
In a video published by the ABC, Elliot described seeing his friends as he paddled towards an island.
“I could see this little island and I go ‘oh, there’s my mates, there’s Steph, Jordy and Will, sick!” he said. “They were waving and they’re like, ‘Footey!’”
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson confirmed that four Australians reported missing had been located and were safe.
“Two of the three Indonesian crew have also been located. Our thoughts are with the family of the third crew member, for whom the search continues,” the spokesperson said.
“The Australian government expresses its deep gratitude to the Indonesian authorities and others involved in the search and rescue efforts.”
