As four grateful Australian surfers spent their first night on dry land after a dramatic ocean rescue, it has tragically emerged that one Indonesian crew member still has not been found.

The search continues for the local man who was last seen floating away after a wooden boat capsized as it ferried the Australian surfing mates to a tropical island.

Steph Weisse, Will Teagle, Jordan Short and Elliot Foote were miraculously located off Sumatra on Tuesday after floating on surfboards for two nights.

Two of three Indonesian crew were also rescued but one local, Fifan Satria, had not been found by 5pm Tuesday.

The boat’s captain, Yunardi Ardi, told the ABC his fellow crew member had “looked weak” as he was carried away in the waves.

Mr Ardi said his boat had capsized on Sunday afternoon after being hit by big waves from the back and side during a storm.

He told the ABC the group threw the surfboards in the water and jumped onto them to survive.

“The waves were high and we all discussed quickly and decided to swim to the nearest island using the last rays of sunset as our guide,” he said.

“The foreigners started paddling, we the Indonesians stayed floating, my missing friend looked weak as he was carried by a wave to the east towards Singkil.”

Mr Ardi told the ABC he was paddling in the direction of the island of Nias and could see the lighthouse of Sarang Baung Island.

“The waves kept pulling me away from the island but eventually a rescuer found me near Palambak Island.”

Steph, Will and Jordan were found floating on surfboards on Tuesday and hours later Elliot was found on a nearby island, after 30 hours in the Indian Ocean.

Despite the two-day ordeal, the surf will go on.

“They’re going to stay on for another 10 days and have a good time,” Elliot’s father Peter Foote told ABC Radio on Tuesday.

“I don’t know how he can paddle out into the water again, but he will.”

Elliot Foote replenishes after days at sea. Photo: Instagram

Mr Foote was found separate from the group because he had broken away in search of help, battling pouring rain, a strong current and hallucinations.

In footage shot shortly after his rescue, he described seeing his girlfriend and mates standing on a little island nearby.

“I was thinking ‘oh there are my mates’ … they’re waving and saying ‘goodo’,” Mr Foote said.

“I’m paddling to that island and I’m not making any ground.

“I’m like ‘What the hell’.”

The families also faced a nervous wait from Australia before news of their rescue filtered through.

“You just think, there’s so little we can do,” Steph’s mother Jill Weisse told the Seven Network.

After texts confirmed the quartet’s miraculous survival, footage emerged from their rescue boat, showing grins from ear to ear.

“We’re alive,” Steph Weisse said.

Will Teagle, Elliot Foote, Steph Weisse and Jordan Short were heading to a paradise island for a surf holiday.

The group of Australians had been in the Banyak Islands off Sumatra to celebrate Mr Foote’s 30th birthday.

When tossed into the ocean, the quartet were crossing from Nias to Pinang Island, an island surf retreat.

Another boat, with eight of Mr Foote’s mates, sought shelter at a small island midway before reaching Pinang and raising the alarm.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese thanked Indonesia for finding the Australian tourists.

Mr Albanese said he had contacted Indonesian President Joko Widodo to express thanks for the search and rescue efforts.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said Australia’s thoughts were with the family of the missing crew member.