The 56-year-old tourist was last seen surfing and swimming in the area the previous day before being engulfed by the sea’s rough currents.
An Australian tourist with the initials GHK was found dead after having been missing in the waters near Grajagan Beach, Purwoharjo Subdistrict, Banyuwangi Regency, East Java. The 56-year-old tourist was last seen when he was swimming and surfing in the area on Monday, the 4th of March. His deceased body was later discovered on the following Tuesday.
According to the coordinator of the Banyuwangi branch of the National Search and Rescue Agency, Wahyu Setya Budi, it was likely that GHK was engulfed by the currents. He also divulged that his body, already deceased, was first discovered by local fishermen.
“At first, we received a tip that there was a dead body around the area,” Budi told the press on Tuesday, the 5th of March. “The search-and-rescue task force immediately proceeded with evacuation. With the body having been discovered, the search operation is now closed.”
After further identifications, the National Search and Rescue Agency confirmed that the body, indeed, belonged to GHK. The search-and-rescue task force transported the deceased to Blambangan Regional Public Hospital for further treatment. It took two days for the search-and-rescue task force to find GHK, consisting of members of the Banyuwangi branch of the National Search and Rescue Agency, the local police, the navy, Perhutani, Regional Disaster Management Agency, Radio Antar Penduduk Indonesia (RAPI), and local fishermen.
According to an eyewitness and GHK’s friend, initialled G, he and his other friend had tried to rescue GHK from the rough currents on the day he was proclaimed missing — to no avail. At one point, G claimed that one of GHK’s feet was tangled in the rope attached to the latter’s surfboard. G later found the surfboard, but GHK was nowhere in sight.
“We saw the surfboard, hoping he was still with it,” G added, “but the rope was already loose.”
According to Budi, the body was found approximately five kilometres from the point where GHK was last seen afloat.
Situated 50 kilometres from Banyuwangi Regency, Grajagan Beach is one of the most popular tourist attractions in East Java. Reputed for its natural beauty and massive tidal waves, Grajagan Beach is often frequented by surfers from both the nearby area and overseas. Besides surfing, visitors could also try fishing and exploring the shores by using the rented ferries.