Four missing Australians have been found alive near Aceh, Indonesia after their charter boat was hit by stormy weather on Sunday.

Elliot Foote, Steph Weisse, Will Teagle and Jordan Short were seen floating on surfboards on Tuesday morning, five kilometres from shore. The group were rescued on a catamaran.

Foote’s father, Peter, reportedly told the ABC that he received a text message from his son saying that he is alive.

The group departed North Nias port with three crew members in wooden speedboats on Sunday afternoon, before encountering rough conditions. Concerns were heightened when they lost contact at approximately 6pm on Sunday night.

A search and rescue operation was launched, but was suspended initially due to bad weather. The mission resumed this morning.

The four families released a statement on Monday night, thanking the Indonesian authorities and the Australian Government for their continued support.

“We’d like to thank the Indonesian authorities and the Australian Government for their ongoing assistance while search and rescue efforts continue.”

Photo: Triton Bay Storm by David Stanley available HERE and used under a Creative Commons license. This image has not been modified.