Search for South African Brett Archibald is on in the Mentawis
- Details
- Created: Wednesday, 17 April 2013 19:50
UPDATE!! Brett has been found alive! A true miracle!
Praise God and the Search and Rescue efforts!
"Brett Archibald has boarded the Barenjoey 20 mins ago. He is alive. A bit sunburnt and dehydrated. He was floating alone. The boat is taking him to the Indies Trader iii so that he can phone his wife. Thank you John, Belinda, Martin, Yanto, Sebastiano and all crew and friends. You have done the impossible" (from his facebook page)
UPDATE:
I have requested a photo of him and they will upload as soon as he gets to land
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UPDATED GOOD NEWS
"We are talking to Brett at the moment. The last thing he remembers is vomitting overboard and then blacked-out. He woke up thinking someone was splashing water on his face and realised he was in the whitewash of the boat. He has been through the most radical 27 hours of treading water with no logs or assistance. He says he went under at least 8 times but says it is NOT HIS TIME TO DIE!!!"
UPDATED GOOD NEWS
The Rescue Boat:
John Mcroder and Doris aboard Barrenjoey found him alive after 27 hours in the sea.
Source:
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GOOD NEWS UPDATED
"And after 27 hours floating on his back in a stormy ocean, Brett has been found alive 12 miles off the east coast of Sipora. He was found by Captain Doris, who was sailing the Barrenjoey, 10 miles from where he’d fallen overboard.
“Brett Archibald has boarded the Barenjoey 20 mins ago,” wrote All Aboard Travel on their . “He is alive. A bit sunburnt and dehydrated. He was floating alone.”
Brett’s wife, Anita, received an SMS as 1:30am South-African time that read: “barrenjoey mcgroder. And barrenjoey surf charters. John, Belinda and crew Doris and their two sons Finn and Duke (5 + 8 years old) – who also had their binoculars out as well – found Brett.” Anita then spoke to her husband for the first time (over the phone) at 4:15am South African time.
According to an update from Craig Lambinon, who works in Sea Rescue Communications for the National Sea Rescue Institute: “Brett told (Anita) he’d been extremely sea sick and may have passed out on the deck of Naga Laut while being sea-sick overboard when he woke up already in the sea behind the boat which continued away from him. No one onboard Naga Laut knew he had gone overboard.”
“He said he came close to drowning at least eight times during his 27 hour ordeal (swimming and drifting at sea) and that he had been stung by jelly fish, picked at by fish and seagulls had tried to pluck his eyes out.”
“He has highly complimented his rescuers on Barrenjoey.”
“He is in good spirits.”
And, the biggest kicker of all? ”Brett told Anita he wants to complete his surfing trip before returning home and that he didnt fly all that way to tread water for 27 hours.”
Brett is now being moved back to Naga Laut and his charter buddies, who will take him to Padang."
Reposted from StabMag http://stabmag.com/missing-south-african-surfer-found-in-the-mentawais/
ALERT: MOB-Anyone in the Mentawi's right now or know anyone there right now please try and get this out to them asap.. Brett Archibald is on a surf trip aboard the Naga Laut in the Mentawai's, he went overboard in big swell at around 5am this morning. The search is on for Brett and won't stop until he's been found. We are hoping that Brett has made it to land or possibly been picked up by a local fishing boat.
Brett is a good swimmer, he's 50 years old and has been surfing for 40 years + so if anyone can make it through this he can. Please would you try and get the message out for us to all the operators in the area, we would appreciate all the help we can get.
Brett's passport no is:
South African Brett Archibald is missing at sea: It takes about 10-14 hours depending on the sea state to cross the 90 mile straight between Padang and the Mentawais (Sipora island). The Naga Laut left Padang port yesterday evening at around 6pm. The 10 charter passengers and 7 crew had dinner and eventually the passengers retired to their cabins to sleep. This was the group's 7th trip. Brett Archibald was las...t seen at around 4.30 am by one of the other passengers. When the passengers came up to the galley for breakfast at around 8am they realised that Brett was no longer on board. The Naga Laut immediately turned around to retrace their steps.
The Indonesian Federal Search and Rescue Basarmas are coordinating search and rescue with local Indonesian authorities and coast guard.
Many of the other private surf charter boats who are in the area have joined the search lead by the very competent Barenjoey (John McGroder) and the 3 Trader boats (Martin Daily). The current is running west which means Brett could possibly be near Sipora Island already. There is a lot of debris in the water (tree trunks etc) so he could have flotation. The sun came up shortly after he fell over board. He is strong and fit
The charter boats will stay out at sea tonight floating with bright lights on in the area that they have calculated Brett to be according to the current and winds.
We have alerted RNLI and MRCC and the SA embassy to use any contacts to ensure the search continues by air and sea.
Our prayers are with Brett, Anita and their kiddies.
We are our in our 12th hour of this search and rescue mission. We want to bring this man home!
From JM Tostee on board Naga Laut "Brett was very seasick last night during the storm, we think he must have fallen overboard when getting sick on deck whilst everyone was sleeping. The coastguard boats and planes have searched the oean all day and so have we. Archie is strong enough mentally and physically to survive. Please say a prayer."
He's 5ft 11 - Bald, Male Caucasian and we are really keen to get him home again.
The boat was between Padang, Sumatra and Sipora Island, about 20 miles east of Sipora back towards Padang. (+ - 99'55E and 1'50"S).
(originally posted by Chris Bertish)
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FACEBOOK UPDATE:
Brett bunked with me as cabin mate on our current surf trip to the Mentawaii islands off Sumatra Indonesia . He was very seasick last night during the huge storm while we were sailing to the islands tbrough the night and we think he must have fallen overboard when getting sick on deck while all of us were sleeping. I only discovered it hours later when we woke up this morning at the surf spot and worked out that he wasnt in bis bunk nor on the top deck.The coast guard boats and planes have searched the ocean all day and so have we ..but found nothing yet.its dark now and we have to stop and start again tomorrow. Im shattered..we all are. We wont stop searching. We are being Inundated with messages but signal is very limited here so please rather not try contact us. I will post to facebook to try relay as much information as I can to as many people as possible. I believe that Archie is strong enough mentally and pbysically to survive the night in the sea if he hasnt already been picked up a local fisherman in a small boat or something similar. Please say a Prayer for Brett for strength...and for all of us. If he can keep going we WILL find him. Plse forward this message to let others know to watch for facebook posts when i can make them as we cant communicate with everyone Individually. Thank you. Jm Tostee
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UPDATED
Surfers such as JM Tostee, who was onboard the boat Naga Laut with Brett, have said that a desparate search has been going on the whole day for Brett and it won't stop until he's been found. There was hope that Brett had made it to land or possibly been picked up by a local fishing boat. www.wavescape.co.za/news/breaking-news/sa-surfer-overboard-in-indo.html
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ZIGZAG Magazine is posting updates regarding Brett, please visit this link:
http://www.zigzag.co.za/featured/south-african-surfer-missing-at-sea-surfer-goes-missing-during-mentawai-yacht-charter/
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UPDATED
The NSRI has reported that water conditions in the area are reportedly warm (28°C) and flat.
Other private have also joined the operation, and will stay out overnight shining bright lights on the area that they have calculated Archibald to be according to the current and winds."
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/SA-man-missing-at-sea-in-Indonesia-20130417
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UPDATED
A facebook page has been created on behalf of Brett, please visit the following link:
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UPDATED
SEA RESCUE – INDONESIA – Wednesday, 17th April, 2013. Camps Bay man missing at sea in Indonesia:
NSRI Headquarters are keeping a vigil on developments in Indonesia where a Camps Bay man, Brett Archibald, 50, (from Camps Bay, South Africa) fell overboard a boat in the early hours of today (approximately 05h00 Indonesian time 17th April) while on a surfing trip in the Mentawai's.
Circumstances of the incident are not clear but we believe a huge search and rescue operation continued throughout today by the Indonesian Maritime Rescue Authorities aided by the RNLI (UK Maritime Rescue), the Australian Maritime Rescue Coordination Center, Jacarta Maritime Rescue Coordination Center, and a host of private boats.
Brett is well known to Camps Bay folk, a keen surfer, a strong swimmer and has a love for the sea.
Water conditions are reportedly warm (28 degrees Celsius) and flat, night has descended, but the search is continuing throughout the night and will continue tomorrow.
The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation are alerted.
It appears that he went overboard the vessel NAGA LAUT by unknown circumstances in a big sea swell between Padang, Sumatra and Sipora Island. (20 nautical miles East of Sipora Island - approximate position 99'55''E and 1'50''S).
Enquiries and communications (on behalf of the family) can be made via CRAIG LAMBINON - NSRI COMMUNICATIONS cell: email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The family have appealed for all help possible knowing that Brett is a strong swimmer and hopes are he makes it to land or is rescued.
