British tourist found dead after Bali rip current; family calls for full investigation

The body of Harrison Nada-Kontounas, a 23-year-old British tourist, was recovered Thursday about 3.2 kilometers offshore from Legian Point at Kuta Beach, Bali, after he was swept out to sea by a rip current on Wednesday afternoon. Two friends who were with him managed to reach the shore, but he was dragged away by strong currents and winds estimated at 30 kilometers per hour. Lifeguards had come within roughly a metre of reaching him before conditions forced them to suspend the attempt as the sea remained dangerous. A major rescue operation followed, with authorities and volunteers searching the shore and water area while his friends and others coordinated efforts to locate him.

A GoFundMe drive was launched in the wake of his disappearance to fund the private search and recovery effort, with more than £27,000 raised from donors. Nada-Kontounas’s friends and family said they used the money to sustain a 32-hour on-and-off search, including hiring a private helicopter when official air searches were not provided. The family said the funds would cover repatriation costs, funeral arrangements, and a donation to a charity in Harrison’s memory.

In a statement provided to Daily Mail Australia, the family confirmed that Harrison’s body had been recovered and expressed profound sadness at the loss. The mother of Harrison Nada-Kontounas paid tribute to her son as a gentle, kind, and funny young man who lived life with joy and cherished his family and friends. The statement underscored Harrison’s warmth, loyalty, and generous spirit, saying his life, though short, was filled with love and light and that his spirit would never be forgotten.

The family also thanked the local lifeguard who came within a metre of reaching Harrison and who later recovered his body from the sea. A friend who witnessed that moment described the lifeguard as courageous and persistent in trying to save a life. The group said they were overwhelmed by support from Balinese locals, Australian tourists, and the international community, and they noted the private search relied in large part on the funds donated via the GoFundMe campaign.

The relatives of Harrison have urged a full review of the response and timing of official search efforts, arguing that critical hours passed before a more robust air and water search was mounted. They asserted that authorities did not act with the urgency they expected during the initial hours after he disappeared and questioned the adequacy of warnings and search resources at the time. Several posts on social media during the incident indicated a perception of unsafe conditions at Kuta Beach, with some observers noting the presence of strong rip currents and undertow that can endanger swimmers even near designated areas.

Friends of the family emphasized that they did not swim in a red-flagged area, countering some local reports about where the group was swimming. They also recalled that warning flags were raised after Harrison had already been swept away, and that lifeguards’ initial efforts were followed by hours of searching on land while sea equipment faced delays. The family has called for transparency about what occurred in the hours after his disappearance and restoration of public safety measures at Bali’s popular beaches.

The tragedy has renewed questions about beach safety at Bali’s tourist hubs, where rough seas and rip currents can emerge quickly. While officials warn visitors about surf conditions, the family’s statements and the fundraising campaign illustrate how bereaved families seek urgent action and accountability when standard search-and-rescue responses appear to fall short. The family said they would continue to advocate for a thorough inquiry into the incident and to honor Harrison’s memory through charitable works and a lasting tribute to his life.