Australian father hails ‘one-in-a-million miracle’ after surfer son goes missing

10 Jul 2025 • 10:00 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • An Australian teenager, Darcy Deefholts, was found alive on a remote island after going missing while surfing off a New South Wales beach.
  • The 19-year-old failed to return home after surfing off a beach at coastal town of Wooli on Wednesday, prompting his father, Terry Deefholts, to issue an urgent social media appeal for help.
  • Police and Marine Rescue launched a land and water search operation following the alarm raised by the family.
  • Darcy was located safely on North Solitary Island, approximately 12km off the coast of Wooli, the day after he went missing.
  • His father described his son's survival as a "one-in-a-million miracle" after he was taken to a medical centre for treatment.

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