FOUR young Australians are missing after a charter boat taking them to a private island disappeared.
Steph Weisse, Elliot Foote, Will Teagle and Jordan Short were with a group of 12 on two wooden longboats in Indonesia when they vanished.
Elliot Foote and Steph Weisse are on the missing boatInstagram
Jordan Short was also on the vesselInstagram
Will Teagle was onboard when the storm stuckInstagram
The 30mile voyage usually takes around three hours, but difficult weather made the journey perilous.
One of the wooden boats was able to stop at Sarang Alu, which lies halfway between Nias Island and the Pinang Surf Resort, where the group was staying.
The boat carrying the four friends and three Indonesians did not reach shore, prompting the resort to raise the alarm.
The eight members of the group who found safety are reportedly “beside themselves” as their friends remain unaccounted for.
The group of friends had rented out bungalows in the resort for Elliot Foote’s 30th birthday celebration.
Mr Foote’s father told the Sydney Morning Herald: “They have life jackets on board, they had food and water and there is shelter on the boat. It has a roof.
“Apparently the waves weren’t that problematic, it was just visibility in the storm.
“We’re all hoping they’ve either run out of fuel or they got lost and missed the island or more likely there may be an engine failure on the boat, which unfortunately doesn’t have any GPS.”
Indonesian National Search and Rescue agency Nias Island chief Octavianto said: “Last night the Pinang Resort reported that a speedboat with 10 passengers had arrived in Pinang Island, while another speedboat with seven people on board had not arrived yet.
“We’ve deployed three ships…and they are now moving towards the location for search and rescue.
“However, the issue is that the (missing vessel) is a basic wooden boat without any tracking devices or the like.”
Initial search efforts launched by the resort and authorities today have been unsuccessful.
More than 20 military, police and volunteers are using small boats in a bid to find the missing group.
The families of the missing Aussies released a statement reading: “Our hearts are aching at the thought that Elliot, Steph, Will and Jordan are missing at sea.
“We continue to pray and hold out hope they will be found.
“We’d like to thank the Indonesian authorities and the Australian government for their ongoing assistance while search and rescue efforts continue.”
The vessels the missing Aussies disappeared on were provided by the Pinang Surf Resort.
The secluded island resort is known for its surfing and budget bungalows, which are rented out for $150 per day.
Its website reads: “Our friend and surf guide will take you around to all the best spots.”
AlamyThey had been in the Banyak Islands of Indonesia[/caption]
humasbasarnasnias/TikTokA search and rescue mission has been launched[/caption]
humasbasarnasnias/TikTokHelicopters and planes are being used to find the boat[/caption]