Latest news with #DarcyDeefholts
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Missing teen surfer miraculously found on remote island after vanishing at sea
19-year-old Darcy Deefholts was presumed dead after the Australian teenager ended up missing while going for a surf in New South Wales, only to be round on a remote island A teen who vanished without a trace after heading out for a solo surf off the coast of northern New South Wales, in Australia, has been miraculously found alive after becoming stranded on a remote island more than eight miles out to sea. Darcy Deefholts, 19, sparked a desperate search after he failed to return from a Wednesday afternoon surf at One Tree Beach, near the quiet coastal town of Wooli. As daylight faded and fears grew, Darcy's father turned to social media in a heartbreaking plea for help. In a desperate plea to find his son, concerned parent Terry Deefholts wrote: 'HELP – I NEED BOATS, BEACH WALKERS, DRONES, 4WDs and PLANES AT FIRST LIGHT. Marine Rescue teams scoured the coastline from Bare Point to Pebbly Beach, but the search was suspended overnight, leaving a sleepless family clinging to hope. But in an astonishing twist of fate, Darcy was discovered alive the following morning on North Solitary Island, a desolate spit of land just over eight miles offshore. It was something his father described as a "one-in-a-million miracle." He added: "I haven't even spoken to him yet… I'm just so over the moon. I can't even begin to fathom how he survived. It's just a lot to process." Just hours before his son was found, Terry had begged boat owners to search nearby islands and even feared the worst but refused to give up, the NY Post reports. Taking to social media, he posted: 'Boats – need one to go straight to North West Solitary Island." But it was North Solitary where young Darcy would ultimately be found, battered but alive. His original post has since been shared more than 1,100 times, with strangers from across the state offering boats, drones, and even planes to aid the search. Thousands became invested in the post and prayed for a positive outcome. Updating them on the search, Terry wrote: 'We are overwhelmed by the community efforts. There is only one thing we want now – our beloved boy to be found safe.' NSW Police confirmed Darcy had left his Wooli home by bicycle at around 2.30pm on Wednesday and hadn't been seen since, sparking urgent concern due to the out-of-character disappearance. Darcy was described as slim, 180cm tall, with black hair and a quiet nature. Marine Rescue NSW swung into action late Wednesday, deploying rescue vessel Wooli 30 in a last-light search, which resumed early Thursday with help from Coffs Harbour crews. Inspector John Murray commented: 'The volunteer crews will conduct search patterns under the direction of Marine Area Command."
The Independent
5 days ago
- The Independent
Missing teen surfer ‘miraculously' found alive on remote Australian island
An Australian teenager who went missing after going for a surf off a New South Wales beach has been found alive on a remote island. Darcy Deefholts, 19, failed to return home after heading out for a surf off a beach in Wooli, a coastal town 480km north of Sydney on Wednesday. His father, Terry Deefholts, a real estate agent from Grafton, raised an alarm on social media asking for locals to help in finding his son as he "feared the worst". "HELP - I NEED BOATS, BEACH WALKERS, DRONES AND 4WDs and PLANES AT FIRST LIGHT," he wrote in an emotional plea. "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," he wrote on Facebook "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. "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," he added. The New South Wales police said they officials were alerted by the teenager's family after he failed to return home. Police launched a land and water search around Wooli Beach and the surfer was located safety on a small island the next day. The teen was found marooned the North Solitary Island, located about 12km off the coast of Wooli, according to reports. He was taken to a medical centre for treatment. Terry Deefholts told the Daily Telegraph that his son's survival was a 'one-in-a-million miracle'. 'I haven't had the chance to talk to him yet, I'm just so over the moon,' the father said, adding: "I'm still just processing everything. We've had no sleep and it has been a lot to deal with."
Fox News
5 days ago
- Fox News
Missing teen surfer found alive on remote island miles from shore: 'Didn't give up hope'
A surfer who went missing after paddling out in the ocean Wednesday afternoon was located the next day on a remote island roughly 8 miles from where his bicycle and clothes were found at a beach access point in New South Wales, Australia. The New South Wales Police Force said in a news release Thursday morning the 19-year-old man, later identified as surfer Darcy Deefholts, had been located after being swept away and going missing the day before. Police said Deefholts left his home in Wooli on a bicycle at about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday toward Wooli Beach. After failing to return home, concerned family members contacted police, and a search on land and sea commenced around Wooli Beach. The next morning, Deefholts was located safely on a small island called North Solitary, about 8 miles southeast of Wooli Beach. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported Darcy's father, Terry Deefholts, could not believe the news Darcy had been found at about 9 a.m. Thursday. "It's kind of surreal. I was at the point of thinking the absolute worst," Terry Deefholts told the station. "I didn't give up hope, but, jeez, I was close." Earlier in the day, the teenager was seen riding his bike around town and fishing at the Wooli breakwall. Family members became concerned Wednesday night after Darcy's clothes and bicycle were located at a beach access point in Wooli, just east of Grafton. Melissa Smith, a family member, told the station Darcy likely went out too far on his surfboard and could not get back to shore. "He's a survivor, a strong boy. He would have known that was a safe place, I guess," she said. ABC reported that family members believed Darcy had a Malibu surfboard with him, though his smartwatch and cellphone were left at home in Wooli. Search efforts continued through about 1 a.m. Thursday and commenced at first light. Thursday morning's efforts included six private vessels and a Marine Rescue team, though what was puzzling to some was how calm the sea conditions were and the small amount of wind and swell. "There is a fair bit of current running north to south further out, so I suspect he has ended up in [a] current and drifted south," Marine Rescue skipper Matthew McLennan told ABC. Later that morning, one of the search crews found Darcy and reported that he was cold and suffering from exposure, though he was not injured. Darcy was transported to a nearby hospital after returning to shore. A spokesperson from the local health district in Northern New South Wales said in a statement obtained by the station that Darcy was in stable condition and "in good spirits and being supported by family."
Daily Telegraph
5 days ago
- Daily Telegraph
'Pure torture': Aussie dad finds son lost at sea with Facebook search operation
Don't miss out on the headlines from Parenting. Followed categories will be added to My News. When 19-year-old Darcy Deefholts vanished this week, his dad Terry faced every parent's nightmare. But he responded in the only way he knew how: with action. 'It took all my resolve to hold my s**t together and focus,' Terry told Kidspot. Darcy had failed to return home after going surfing at One Tree, Wooli, on NSW's North Coast on Wednesday afternoon. Rescue teams located Darcy on a remote island off NSW on Thursday morning. Image: Supplied RELATED: 'Why dad alone, when we can dad together?' "Fearing the worst" Once marine officials stood down for the night, with the search set to resume Thursday morning, the determined dad turned to his community. He refused to sit back and wait. 'Tears and shouting at the wind weren't going to find my boy,' he said. Taking to Facebook he wrote: '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 gave a rough description of Darcy's last known location, what he was wearing, and the wind conditions. 'Of course we are fearing the worst,' he wrote. 'There is only one thing we want now. Our beloved boy to be found safe.' Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this. "The dark night of the soul" Terry launched a grassroots mission of his own. One late-night Facebook post at a time. Within hours, strangers were launching boats, drones took flight, and a digital village rose up to help. The post spread rapidly through local community pages, and a dedicated search group was created and monitored. 'There's much to say about the gratitude I've felt for this astonishingly beautiful community,' Terry said. The thought of losing his child had taken him to the brink. 'The idea of potentially losing my Darcy, well I'm going to call it the dark night of the soul. Pure torture that weighed so heavily it was almost crushing,' he explained. At around 8am Thursday morning, Terry got the news he'd been desperately hoping for. Darcy had drifted kilometres from shore and ended up stranded on an offshore island overnight. A private helicopter, arranged by a volunteer, spotted him. A boat was quickly dispatched to retrieve him. He was found cold, disoriented but miraculously unharmed. After nearly 16 hours missing at sea, his son was finally safe. Terry could finally breathe. 'I'm currently in the aftershock of a traumatic ordeal that had the best possible outcome,' he said. Terry was going to stop at nothing to find his son. Image: Supplied RELATED: Police use sound of mum's voice to try bring home her missing son For all the technology and rescue protocol, it all came down to a dad and a Facebook post. What could have been a tragedy became a miracle. Terry is now preparing a way to properly thank those who answered his call. 'I'm preparing a story to try and thank everyone. It's going to be a long one,' he said. This week proved that a parent never stops leaning on their village. Originally published as 'Pure torture': Aussie dad finds son lost at sea with Facebook search operation
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Missing Surfer, 19, Found Alive on Remote Island After He's Swept 8 Miles into the Ocean: '1 in a Million'
Darcy Deefholts was discovered by rescuers on the morning of Thursday, July 10, on an uninhabited island off the coast of Wooli in New South Wales, Australia
