Teen caught in rip off Parsons Beach, Fleurieu Peninsula

The search for a teenage boy who went missing off a popular surfing beach — labelled one of the “most dangerous” swimming spots in South Australia — has been paused because of bad weather.

• Heroic surfer saved drowning man on Parsons Beach

The search for a teenage boy who went missing off a popular surfing beach — labelled one of the “most dangerous” swimming spots in South Australia — has been paused because of bad weather.

Police say 17-year-old Arash Yari, from Victoria, and his 20-year-old Norwegian friend Nimatllah Rafiq Ali were hit by a wave off Parsons Beach on the Fleurieu Peninsula just after 12.30pm on Tuesday.

Arash Yari, 17, of Victoria, is feared drowned at Parsons Beach, near Waitpinga. Picture: Facebook

Nimatllah Rafiq Ali, who was with Arash before he went missing. Picture: Mike Burton

Mr Ali, speaking on behalf of Mr Yari’s family, said the pair decided to “freshen up” in the water but were suddenly sucked out to sea.

“Our first initial thought was just to go fishing,” he said.

“(But we) just went in the water, not deep. It’s hard to think about it. It’s all black.”

A man known to the boys jumped in to save the pair but then became caught in a rip himself.

Mr Ali struggled back to safety while the man was taken out to sea, eventually rescued by a surfer at nearby Waitpinga Beach, about 600m offshore.

But Mr Yari, a talented soccer player, vanished in the surf and is still missing.

“He was the best person to me,” Mr Ali said.

“We’re all like family. No one can be better than him.

“He was a really good person.”

Police escort relatives back from the rocky outcrop. Picture: AAP / Mike Burton

Family members of the missing boy made a mercy dash from Melbourne to Adelaide on Wednesday to support his distraught parents.

A large group of family camped on the cliffside at Parsons Beach while a police helicopter, Sea Rescue Squadron and other local boats searched the water.

Four people close to Mr Yari were taken to South Coast District Hospital, unable to cope with the grim search.

Four people close to Mr Yari were taken to South Coast District Hospital, unable to cope with the grim search. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

“It’s been very hard for everybody, especially his family,” Mr Ali said.

“It’s hard me for to go back where it was.”

Wednesday’s search was called off about 12.30pm when conditions made it too dangerous for police divers to continue. A helicopter is expected to scout the location again in the late afternoon before the search resumes on Thursday at 6am, entering its third day.

Parsons Beach is considered very dangerous for swimmers. Picture: Mitch Mott

Surf Life Saving lifesaving duty officer Andrew Bedford said the beach had a nine out of 10 safety-hazard rating.

“It’s a very dangerous beach … A lot of rips, a lot of currents. If you go in the water you will get pulled out fairly quickly,” he said.

“The rips are very strong and you might think you’re going in for a paddle … but you can get in trouble fairly quickly.”

Arash Yari is still missing after being swept out to sea about 12.20pm Tuesday. Picture: Mike Burton

Mr Bedford said Surf Life Saving SA has performed 104 rescues this financial year compared to just 62 in the previous period.

The search operation has already proved to be dangerous when a female SES volunteer became dehydrated and had to be winched to a helicopter about 7.30pm on Tuesday.

She was taken to the South Coast District Hospital as a precaution.