A second Australian has died during a surf trip to Indonesia’s famed Mentawai Islands in the space of a week, local police say.

Adam Albert Dube was reportedly found dead on Wednesday morning after vanishing during an ocean swim with friends the night before.

Mentawai police chief Reko Indro Sasongko said the group of 10 arrived at the popular surf spot off the west coast of Sumatra late on Tuesday.

• Surf horror: shark was ‘chewing my leg off’
• Fanning saves surfing from the jaws of defeat
• Mick Fanning thanks ‘warrior’ mate after shark attack

After drinking aboard their boat, they decided around midnight to go for a swim, Mr Sasongko said.

“After an hour they returned to the boat, but only nine showed up. Dube was not there.”

A search ensued for the missing Australian but he was not found until Wednesday morning.

His body was taken to Padang city, Mr Sasongko said.

The death comes shortly after another Australian, 54-year-old Ronald Stephen Schneider, died after being smashed onto rocks in heavy surf at the Mentawais last week.

The world famous reef breaks off the Sumatra coast are a mecca for surfers, especially Australians, seeking its fabled barrelling waves.

Mr Sasongko said police had been warning visiting surfers to be extra vigilant during the dry season months, when wave sizes peak and conditions are particularly dangerous.

“Not only are the currents strong and the waves large, but there are many whirlpools that cannot be seen when in the water but are noticeable from above,” he said.

“Those are very dangerous.”