Four Australian tourists and two Indonesians have been rescued after being missing for two days in the waters off Indonesia’s Aceh province. The group had been traveling to Pinang Island to celebrate Elliot Foote’s 30th birthday when their wooden speedboat encountered bad weather on Sunday. The details of how they ended up in the sea remain unclear.
Peter Foote, Elliot’s father, received a text message from his son saying he was safe. “It says: ‘Hey Dad, Elliot here. I’m alive. Safe now. Love you. Chat later,'” Peter Foote said at a news conference in Sydney. “It’s great, it’s good news. I’ll have to talk to him and want to see photos and see what he looks like. It’s all good.”
According to reports, Elliot Foote paddled his surfboard to an island to raise the alarm, while the three other Australians were found clinging to their boards at sea. The two Indonesians’ survival remains unclear. The six individuals who were rescued have been taken to Pinang Island for medical assistance.
The group, consisting of Elliot Foote, his partner Steph Weisse, and friends Will Teagle and Jordan Short, along with the three Indonesian crew members, were part of a larger group of 12 Australians and five Indonesians traveling to Pinang Island. The boats left Nias Island on Sunday afternoon and encountered heavy rain and bad weather during the trip.
Ten of the group decided to stay and seek shelter on Sarang Alu island, while the others continued the journey. The resort on Pinang Island later reported that the boat with 10 passengers had safely arrived, but the boat that had left earlier had not been seen.
Peter Foote expressed his expectation that his son and friends would continue the remaining eight days of their surfing vacation.
Indonesia, with its vast archipelago of over 17,000 islands, relies heavily on ferries and boats for transportation. However, lax safety standards and issues with overcrowding have led to frequent accidents. In July, an overloaded passenger boat capsized off Sulawesi island, resulting in 15 fatalities. In 2018, an overcrowded ferry sank in a lake in North Sumatra province, claiming the lives of 167 people. One of the country’s worst recorded disasters occurred in February 1999 when an overcrowded passenger ship sank with 332 people on board, leaving only 20 survivors.
How were the six individuals, including four Australian tourists and two Indonesians, rescued after being lost for 48 hours in the waters near Indonesia’s Aceh province?
S they were rescued after being lost for 48 hours in the waters near Indonesia’s Aceh province, four Australian tourists and two Indonesians can now breathe a sigh of relief. The group had embarked on a journey to Pinang Island to commemorate Elliot Foote’s 30th birthday but unfortunately faced unfavorable weather conditions on Sunday, resulting in their wooden speedboat getting lost. The circumstances leading to their emergency situation remain unknown.
Peter Foote, Elliot’s father, was relieved when he received a text message from his son informing him of their safety. The exact details of their rescue operation, however, have not been disclosed.
Thankful that they have been found alive, praying for the safe return of the missing tourist.