The four Australians who were feared dead after their boat capsized in Indonesia miraculously survived the terrifying 36-hours ordeal by clinging to their surfboards.
Elliot Foote, his girlfriend Steph Weisse, and their two friends Jordan Short and Will Teagle, went missing on Sunday night after their charter boat failed to return from a remote island off North Sumatra due to bad weather.
The four friends were found safe on Tuesday, along with two of the three Indonesians who were also on the vessel. A third Indonesian man remains missing.
Mr Foote, who travelled with 11 of his friends on a surf trip to the remote Pinang Island to celebrate his 30th birthday, was seen on his friend’s Instagram drinking a beer just hours after his rescue was confirmed.
Back in Sydney, Will Teagle’s sister Amy described getting a Facetime from her brother.
‘He said the boat they were on had sunk in the middle of the night so it was pitch black and they grabbed what they could,’ she told A Current Affair.
‘They all managed to get a surfboard and they then spent two nights in the ocean.
Elliot Foote pictured with girlfriend Steph Weisse were both rescued
Aussies Jordan Short and Will Teagle have also been found
‘He said they had no idea where they were, what direction they were facing. By the grace of God I guess they managed to paddle into what ended up being the right direction.
‘It is just very overwhelming.’
Steph, Jordan and Will were found about 11am Sydney time on Tuesday by an Australian captain who had left to search for them at about 10pm on Sunday, local time.
But it was another three hours before Elliot, who had left the group to paddle for help about 5km away from the group, was found.
Elliot’s dad said the discovery of the three was ‘fantastic’ but he described the stress of the hours until his son was found.
‘It was gut wrenching, as you could imagine,’ Peter Foote told A Current Affair.
‘Then when I saw that video … and you hear that voice say, ‘where’s Elliot?’ and they don’t have him.
‘My heart just dropped.’
This is the incredible moment Steph Weisse, Will Teagle and Jordan Short and an Indonesian crew member were located after 36 hours lost at sea
The group were among a group of 12 Australians across two wooden longboats travelling between Nias Island and the Pinang Surf resort on the Banyak Islands, off the west coast of the mainland, when the vessel struck bad weather on Sunday
Elliot’s friends told rescuers he had paddled to the island for help, and he was found there.
Mr Toole said the four did not know the fate of their eight other friends for the time they were at sea.
Speaking to 7News, Steph’s mother Jill Weisse said she had felt helpless while the search was carried out.
‘There’s so little we can do, and your mind goes to all sorts of dark places,’ she said.
Steph was the first confirmed Aussie to have been found, followed by
On Tuesday afternoon, Elliot’s father, Peter, confirmed the news that three out of the friends had been rescued from the remote islands.
Moments after talking to Sky News, Mr Foote received a message form his son confirming he had been rescued.
‘Hey Dad, Elliot here. I am alive, safe now, love you. Chat later,’ the text read.
The fourth missing Aussie Elliot Foote (pictured) was rescued a short time later
The group were staying at the exclusive Pinang Surf resort (pictured)
A tired but relieved Elliot Foote enjoyed a well-earned beer when he returned to dry land
Mr Foote praised the work of search and rescue crews, including an Australian who lives in the area and aided in the search.
He had helped co-ordinated friends, hired charter boats and even offered rewards to local fisherman from his Sydney home.
He told Sky News the man had wanted assurance prior to calling off the search, before revealing his son’s next move.
‘Elliot will make his way back to the island, they (the group) will regroup and get healthy, and probably have a great night tonight,’ he said.
Asked how badly he wanted to see his son, Mr Foote said: ‘ I don’t really need to see him as long as I know he’s alive.
‘I can’t wait to talk to him, what an adventure he’s having, what a story to tell.
‘He’s got 10 days to go, so he’s in the best place. They love it, it’s paradise.
‘As long as I can talk to him, he doesn’t have to come home.’
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