One in a Million Miracle: Lost Surfer Found Alive on Uninhabited Island A miraculous rescue operation has concluded with the safe return of Australian surfer, 23-year-old Liam Howlett, who was found alive after being lost at sea for over a week.

Howlett, an experienced surfer, disappeared during a solo surf trip off the coast of Queensland.

His last known location placed him near a cluster of uninhabited islands, a remote and treacherous area known for unpredictable currents and unpredictable weather.

The initial search, hampered by fierce storms and limited visibility, yielded no results.

Hope dwindled with each passing day.

Authorities, along with a dedicated team of volunteer rescuers and Howlett’s distraught family, braced themselves for the worst.

Then, a routine aerial search, focusing on a previously unexplored section of the island chain, spotted a faint signal flare amidst the dense vegetation.

Upon closer inspection, a small, makeshift shelter was discovered, revealing a weakened but remarkably alive Liam Howlett.

He was dehydrated, sunburnt, and suffering from minor injuries, but remarkably stable considering his ordeal.

According to rescuers, Howlett had managed to survive by foraging for food and fresh water, his survival instincts honed by years spent exploring the coastal regions.

The small island provided him with shelter, coconuts for hydration, and some edible plants, though he admitted to periods of desperation and despair.

"It's nothing short of a miracle," stated Sergeant Mark Davies of the Queensland Police Marine Unit.

"The odds of finding him, in this location, after this length of time, were astronomically low.

He's a very lucky young man, and incredibly resilient.

" Howlett's discovery has been hailed as a "one in a million miracle," sparking widespread relief and admiration for his incredible survival skills and the unwavering dedication of the rescue teams.

While still recovering, Howlett expressed gratitude for the rescue and vowed to reconsider his future solo expeditions.

His story serves as a powerful testament to the human spirit's ability to endure, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

The details of his survival will undoubtedly be the subject of much analysis and fascination for years to come, a compelling narrative of a young man’s fight for survival against the unforgiving power of the sea.

A teenage Australian surfer feared lost at sea was rescued Thursday after spending the night on an uninhabited island miles offshore, officials and local media said.

The man, named in local media as 19-year-old Darcy Deefholts, reportedly went for a surf off a beach in Wooli, a coastal town 300 miles north of Sydney.

He'd left home on Wednesday afternoon.

"When he failed to return home, concerned family members contacted officers," New South Wales police .

Police launched a land and water search around Wooli Beach and the surfer was "located safely" on the small island the following day, they said.

In a , Marine Rescue NSW said its search crews were "jumping for joy" when they located the missing surfer.

"What an incredible outcome!" Marine Rescue NSW said.

Deefholts was found after his father Terry made an emotional plea on social media for help with the search.

"I am asking anyone with a seaworthy vessel to please meet me at the main Wooli boat ramp and take me to sea to help with the search," on Facebook.

Darcy Deefholts spent the night on North Solitary Island, about seven miles off the coast, according to Sydney's Daily Telegraph.

The rescue was a "one in a million miracle," Terry Deefholts told the newspaper after earlier saying on social media he'd feared the worst.

His son was receiving medical treatment.