Australian Foreigner Disappears Drowning While Surfing On Banyuwangi's Grajagan Beach

The SAR team is preparing to search for foreigners from Australia who drowned while surfing Grajagan Beach Banyuwangi, East Java. Monday (4/3/2024) ANTARA/HO-Basarnas Banyuwangi

BANYUWANGI - A foreign national (WNA) from Australia drowned and was declared missing while surfing Grajagan Beach in Grajagan Village/District, Banyuwangi Regency, East Java.

Banyuwangi SAR Post Coordinator Wahyu Setia Budi said Gunther Henry Kitzler (56) drowned by the waves while surfing with two of his friends, Kingston Christhoper Max and Gregor.

"Initially Gunther and Gregor arrived at Grajagan Beach on Monday morning at around 05.30 WIB and the victim surfed early. Not long after, Gregor and Christhoper saw the Gunther surfboard floating on the surface of the sea," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Monday, March 4.

The two fellow victims, who are also foreigners from Kangaroo Country, tried to provide help by pulling the victim to the beach. But the effort was in vain because the waves hit them and the victim was lost by the current.

"The victim's position when he was about to be helped by his colleague, the surf rope was tied to the victim's feet, and they couldn't save it because the waves were big enough," he said.

As of this afternoon, Wahyu continued, the joint SAR Team from Basarnas, BPBD, TNI/Polri and others were still conducting a sweep at the location where the Australian foreigner drowned.

"Until this afternoon, we are still searching around the location of the Sunther sinking," he said.