In a remarkable turn of events, a 19-year-old Australian surfer who disappeared off the coast of northern New South Wales has been discovered alive on a remote island miles from the mainland. Darcy Deefholts had gone surfing at One Tree, Wooli, on the state’s North Coast on a Wednesday afternoon and failed to return, sparking a desperate search led by his father, Terry Deefholts.
Terry, a real estate agent from Grafton, took to social media in a frantic plea for help, fearing the worst for his son. His post called for boats, beach walkers, drones, and 4WDs to join the search at first light. He also requested anyone with a seaworthy vessel to meet him at the main Wooli boat ramp to assist in the search at sea.
The family was bracing for the worst, but Terry urged those reading his post to reserve comments for those willing to aid in the search. The community responded overwhelmingly, with Terry’s post garnering over 1100 shares and numerous offers of assistance and well wishes.
In a stunning development, Darcy was found the following morning, nearly 13 kilometers out to sea on North Solitary Island off Wooli. Terry described his son’s survival as a “one-in-a-million miracle,” expressing his joy and relief to The Daily Telegraph. He revealed that Darcy was receiving medical treatment, and he was still trying to comprehend how his son survived being swept so far out to sea.
Just hours before Darcy was found, Terry had made an urgent appeal to search nearby islands, specifically North West Solitary Island, where a person had been found washed up the previous year. The community’s efforts in the search were overwhelming, and Terry expressed his gratitude while hoping for his son’s safe return.
According to a statement from the NSW Police, Darcy had left his home in Wooli on a bicycle around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, heading towards Wooli Beach. When he failed to return, his worried family contacted the Coffs/Clarence Police District. The police expressed concern for Darcy’s welfare, noting that his disappearance was out of character.
Marine Rescue NSW Inspector John Murray stated that a volunteer crew was quickly assembled and deployed for the search-and-rescue mission. The crew searched waters from Bare Point in the north to Freshwater Beach in the south, and resumed the search at 8 a.m. on Thursday under the direction of Marine Area Command.