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A 19-year-old surfer is stable in hospital after being found safe on a remote island off the northern New South Wales coast of Australia in an outcome his dad described as “one in a million”.
Darcy Deefholts’ family were “fearing for the worst”, his father, Terry, said in an urgent post to Facebook calling for rescue help on Wednesday night.
The 19-year-old surfer had left his home in Wooli on a bike at about 2.30pm yesterday, heading towards Wooli beach, NSW police said. When he did not return home, his family contacted police.
“Following a land and water search around Wooli beach, including local police, PolAir, Marine Area Command and Marine Rescue, the man was located safe today on a small island off Wooli,” NSW police said.
Police later confirmed the teenager was found in the North Solitary Island nature reserve, around 14km off the coast.
In Terry Deefholts’ post on Wednesday night, the teenager’s father called on “anyone with a seaworthy vessel to please meet me at the main Wooli boat ramp and take me to sea to help with the search”.
“HELP – I NEED BOATS, BEACH WALKERS, DRONES AND 4WDs and PLANES AT FIRST LIGHT,” he wrote.
“As far as we can tell, Darcy took a cream Malibu surfboard with him to One Tree at Wooli and went for a surf in very small swell some time around 4pm. We think he was wearing a dark rashy.
“Of course we are fearing the worst. 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.”
In a comment on the post, Terry said it was “encouraging to know the water temp is 20 degrees and survivable”.
A spokesperson for the Northern NSW local health district said Deefholts was in a stable condition under observation at Grafton base hospital, after spending the night on an island off the coast.
“The patient is in good spirits and is being supported by family,” they said.
“The family would like to thank emergency services and members of the community involved in the search, after the alarm was raised late yesterday when he failed to return home from a surf.”
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In comments to the Daily Telegraph after Darcy’s rescue, Terry said he was still processing everything and had not slept.
“I haven’t had the chance to talk to him yet, I’m just so over the moon,” he said, adding that it was “a one in a million miracle”.
Terry told ABC he “didn’t give up hope, but jeez I was close”.
“It’s kind of surreal. I was at the point of thinking the absolute worst,” he said. “It’s a one in a million. Who survives this?”
Casey Meaker, who set up a Facebook group to find Darcy, announced that the teenager had been found in a post.
“After an incredibly long and cold night, Darcy was found this morning out on the islands off Wooli. He made it a long way out – but he’s ALIVE, safe, and getting the care he needs,” Meaker wrote.
“We are absolutely blown away by the strength of this young man and the power of this incredible community.”
