A 19-year-old surfer who vanished off a northern New South Wales beach has been found alive on a remote island after spending a night at sea on his longboard, in what his father has called a “one-in-a-million miracle”.
Darcy Deefholts had headed out to surf at One Tree, Wooli, on Wednesday, July 9, leaving home on his bike around 2:30PM, but never returned, per 7 News.
When his clothes, shoes, and bike were found at the beach while his phone and smartwatch were left at home, the alarm was raised, sparking a massive community search.
His father, Terry Deefholts, issued an emotional plea on Facebook as the search intensified, writing: “HELP – I NEED BOATS, BEACH WALKERS, DRONES AND 4WDs and PLANES AT FIRST LIGHT.”
He continued: “My boy Darcy is still missing. Marine Rescue searched tonight from Bare Point to Pebbly Beach at sea. They have been stood down for the night but expect they will be back early to resume the search.”
“I am asking 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,” he added, sharing the family’s desperation.
“Of course we are fearing the worst. Please save comments for those wishing to help with the search. 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.”
Marine Rescue NSW vessels and around six private boats joined the search early Thursday morning.
At approximately 9:00AM on July 10, rescuers found Darcy alive on the uninhabited North Solitary Island, located about eight miles (13km) offshore, after he had spent the night clinging to his surfboard.
“It’s kind of surreal. I was at the point of thinking the absolute worst,” Terry told the ABC after learning his son had been found alive. “I didn’t give up hope, but jeez I was close.”
He added: “It’s a one in a million. Who survives this?”
Family member Melissa Smith said: “He’d obviously gone out too far on his longboard and he couldn’t get back. He’s a survivor, a strong boy, he would have known that was a safe place I guess.”
Darcy’s dramatic rescue captured the hearts of the Wooli community, with Marine Rescue Wooli posting: “What a great community we have in Wooli … So often we search for missing persons with no result or a devastating result, and this one made our day!”
Rescue skipper Matthew McLennan added: “It’s rare that we ever get to participate in a search with an outcome such as this. It was really heartwarming to see how many community members jumped to the call.”
McLennan confirmed that Darcy was found “cold and suffering from a bit of exposure, but...uninjured.”
A spokesperson for the Northern NSW local health district confirmed Darcy was in stable condition under observation at Grafton Base Hospital.
“The patient is in good spirits and is being supported by family,” the spokesperson 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.”
Marine Rescue NSW Inspector John Murray explained how the operation unfolded, stating: “A volunteer crew was rapidly assembled and Wooli 30 deployed. The crew searched waters from Bare Point in the north to Freshwater Beach in the south. Wooli 30 returned to base at 1AM after being stood down for the night.”
Crews resumed at 8:00AM the next day under the direction of Marine Area Command.
Only hours before Darcy was found, Terry had issued another update, saying: “Boats – need one to go straight to North West Solitary Island. That’s where they found a person last year that got washed up.”
His Facebook post calling for help was shared over 1,100 times, with community members flooding the family with messages of hope and support.
“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 currently,” Terry wrote.
The story of Darcy’s rescue, after being swept kilometers out to sea and surviving the night alone on a surfboard, has left many calling it nothing short of miraculous. As Terry summed it up: “I haven’t had the chance to talk to him yet, I’m just so over the moon.”