Rescuers have ended their search for a missing Indonesian crew member one week after a boat with seven on board hit bad weather off Sumatra island, officials said on Monday.
The search was launched last week after authorities received a report that one of two boats headed for Pinang Island from Nias Island had failed to reach its destination.
Four Australians and two Indonesians were found “drifting at sea” nearly two days after the boat was hit by bad weather.
Steph Weisse, Will Teagle, Jordan Short and Elliot Foote were on a surfing trip to celebrate the latter’s 30th birthday. Weisse, Teagle and Short were found floating in the water on surfboards on Tuesday. Foote, who paddled to an island to seek help, was found later.
But rescuers failed to find traces of the remaining crew member, Fifan Satria, after searching for seven days – and ended their operation on Sunday, according to the head of the local search and rescue agency.
“The search from the first until the seventh day has been effectively conducted, not only at sea but also along the shorelines around the Banyak islands, but the result was still zero,” said Octavianto, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.
He said that authorities would help to evacuate Satria if they received new information.
An online fundraiser has been launched by Amy Teagle, sister of rescued Australian Will Teagle, that aims to raise $A100,000 (US$64,000) to support Satria’s family.