Australian surfer missing found alive on miles from the island of Shore after research

A surfer who disappeared after having won the ocean on Wednesday afternoon was located the next day on an isolated island about 8 miles from the place where his bike and his clothes were found at an access point to the beach in New South Wales, in Australia.

The South New Wales police said in a press release Thursday morning that the 19-year-old man, later identified as the surfer Darcy Deefholts, had been located after being swept away and disappeared the day before.

The police said that Deefholts had left his home in Wooli by bicycle around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday to Wooli beach.

After failing to go home, the members of the family concerned contacted the police and a excavation on land and at sea started around Wobolia Beach.

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An Australian surfer who disappeared Wednesday was found on Thursday on an island nearly 8 miles from the shore. (Google Maps)

The next morning, Deefholts was safely located on a small island called North Solitary, about 8 miles southeast of Wooli beach.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that Darcy’s father, Terry Deefholts, could not believe that the news that Darcy had been found around 9 am on Thursday.

“It’s a bit surreal. I was about to think of the absolute worst,” Terry Deefholts told the station. “I haven’t lost hope, but Jeez, I was close.”

Earlier in the day, the teenager was seen bicycle in town and fishing for Wooli.

Family members were worried on Wednesday evening after Darcy’s clothes and bikes were located at an access point to the beach in Wooli, just east of Grafton.

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An Australian surfer who disappeared Wednesday was found on an island nearly 8 miles off Wooli beach in New South Wales on July 10, 2025. (Google Earth)

Melissa Smith, a family member, told the station that Darcy had probably gone too far on her surfboard and could not go back to the ground.

“He’s a survivor, a strong boy. He would have known that it was a safe place, I suppose,” she said.

ABC reported that family members thought Darcy had a Malibu surfboard with him, although his smartwatch and mobile phone were left home in Wooli.

Research efforts continued around 1 a.m. on Thursday and started in the first light.

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Police joined research efforts after a 19-year-old surfer disappeared in Wooli Beach in South New Wales, Australia. (istock)

Thursday morning’s efforts included six private ships and a maritime rescue team, although what was confusing for some was the calm of the sea conditions and the small amount of wind and swell.

“There is a lot of time in progress towards the north to the south further, so I suspect that it ended up in (a) the current and the south of the south,” the skipper of marine rescue McLennan told ABC.

Later in the morning, one of the research teams found Darcy and reported that it was cold and suffered from an exhibition, although he was not injured.

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Darcy was transported to a neighboring hospital after returning to the ground.

A spokesperson for the local health district in northern New South Wales said in a statement obtained by the station that Darcy was in a stable state and “in good humor and to be supported by the family”.