Aceh rescue: Parents speak of relief of hearing daughter’s voice after boat capsize

Wayne and Jill Weisse’s ordeal ended with a call from the satellite phone belonging to the captain searching for their daughter off Aceh.

Elliot Foote and Steph Weisse have been found after they went missing in waters off Aceh. Picture: Supplied

Wayne and Jill Weisse’s nightmare ended at 11am on Tuesday when they received a call from the satellite phone of the captain searching for their daughter Steph, one of four Australians missing in ­waters off the coast of Aceh.

Through the crackle of bad reception, they heard their daughter’s voice.

“It [the phone line] was sort of broken and I went ‘Steph, Steph, are you OK?’ ” Mrs Weisse said.

“She sounded so, so tired.”

“She just said ‘I’m OK. We haven’t found Elliot. I will find Elliot and I love you’ and that was it.”

Steph Weisse, her boyfriend Elliot Foote and friends Will Teagle and Jordan Short have now all been rescued by local authorities.

Ms Weisse, Mr Teagle and Mr Short had been in the water for 37 hours when they were located by a rescue boat.

The four were among a party of 12 Australians travelling north on Sunday in two wooden longboats from Nias Island, off the western coast of Sumatra, to Aceh’s Banyak Islands when a storm swept through.

The island trip was a birthday present from Mr Foote’s father, Peter, to his son.

The four were discovered floating on their surfboards by Australian Grant Richardson, who spent the night sailing his yacht, the Sea Mi Amor, around looking for the missing friends.

Mr Weisse said he’d been in contact with Mr Richardson during the search and when he finally heard his daughter’s voice, he burst into tears of joy. “It’s just the worst nightmare, not knowing, and it’s a big ocean,” he said.

What happened to the boat, whether it capsized or flipped, and why the other boat continued to Banyak Islands is unclear.

Mr Weisse said they were notified their daughter was missing by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about 11.30am on Monday, and along with Peter Foote organised a private charter plane to search.

Ms Weisse and Mr Foote have been together for about 20 months and met in Mullumbimby in the Northern Rivers region of NSW. Both love the outdoors, adventure and surfing.

Ms Weisse said her daughter was tough and resilient with a fighting spirit. “They (Steph and Elliott) haven’t been together for that long but they are two of a kind,” she said. “They jump out of planes, climb rocks, go off the beaten track, adventure, running, walking, camping … That’s why we thought he’s [Mr Foote] done survival skills. If they’re on an island, they’ll know how to make a fire.”

Jordan Short was one of the four Australians who went missing. Picture: Instagram

Will Teagle was also found after spending a day and a half in the water.

She said Mr Foote had gone to her daughter’s aid when northern NSW was devastated by floods last year and she was stranded by a landslide. The couple then volunteered to help struggling locals, assisting with livestock and giving out beers to locals.

Mr Weisse said his daughter had been living in Mullumbimby for about seven years and worked as a horticulturist.

Ms Weisse said she imagined the couple would regroup before finishing their holiday but if her daughter ever travelled again, she would tell her to take an emergency positioning beacon with her.

“We are mystified as to why these wooden longboats have no flares [and] no radios,” she said.

Peter Foote after receiving a text to confirm his son had been found alive. Picture: Justin Lloyd.