A British man missing at sea in Bali was just one metre from being rescued before he was swept away in rough conditions this week.
The search is ongoing for Harrison Nada-Kontounas, 23, who is feared to have drowned after being swept away by a rip current at Bali’s Legian Point at Kuta Beach on Wednesday afternoon.
A friend informed Daily Mail Australia that the group was not swimming in a red-flagged area – zones that are off-limits due to hazardous conditions – contrary to local reports.
The warning flags were only raised after he was swept away at 4.10pm.
While his two friends managed to make it back to shore, Mr Nada-Kontounas was caught in the surf, battling strong currents and 30km/h winds.
Lifeguards tried to reach him but missed by just a metre.
Starting at 6.30pm, with official search and rescue teams still absent, his friends conducted their own frantic search, combing the beach and water for the next 32 hours without any results.
His friends chipped in £1,660 to fund the private helicopter when no official air search was provided.
Harrison Nada-Kontounas is feared drowned after getting caught in a rip in Bali
Mr Nada-Kontounas’s friends deny they went swimming at Kuta Beach when there was a red flag present
‘We had to hire a helicopter ourselves,’ one friend said.
‘We’ve barely slept. We walked the beaches all night, asking every fisherman, every bar, every tourist to watch for Harrison.
‘When no-one came, we scraped together what money we had and hired a helicopter ourselves. We just want him found.’
‘We are overwhelmed by the wave of support from local Balinese, Australian tourists, and the international community.’
Mr Nada-Kontounas’s family and friends have slammed local authorities for their lack of action soon after he went missing at sea.
‘They had two hours of daylight to initiate the search. These are crucial hours for survival, and the response wasn’t deployed until nearly 8pm. Where were the helicopters? Where was the urgency? It was non-existent,’ a friend expressed.
‘We want an investigation into what went wrong. Bali is not the safe paradise we expected it to be.
The intial search for Harrison Nada-Kontounas was done on land as sea equipment was stalled
Tourists spend plenty of time at Kuta Beach in Bali, but locals say it can be a dangerous swimming spot when conditions get rough
‘So many supporters on social media are reporting the dangers and deaths from swimming here, and yet warnings and protections are still inadequate.’
Mr. Nada-Kontounas’s friends indicated there were no alerts against entering the water and are upset that reports suggested they were careless by swimming at the popular beach.
There were many social media posts warning of how dangerous the beaches in the Kuta area can be.
‘Even swimming between the lifesaver flags, you will get rips. Kuta just isn’t safe for swimmers,’ one person wrote.
Another added: ‘According to the locals, it’s not just the rip carrying you away, but also the intense undertow and whirlpool that can drag you under.’
Witness Abbey Maree wrote: ‘It was a heartbreaking afternoon on the beach watching lifeguards searching for hours to find him.’
‘The water was so rough at the time. I was hoping they’d bring in a few more jet skis or boats to search, perhaps a helicopter, but sadly they just don’t operate like we do back home.
‘My heart bleeds for his friends and family and everyone else on the beach helping to find him.’
The family is calling for a full investigation into the lack of urgent action by the authorities, which they believe cost crucial hours in the search for Harrison.
Mr Nada-Kontounas’s mother has travelled to the island for the search.
