Family of 16-year-old lost at sea say they won’t give up – after search for teenager was called off

The family of a teenage boy who vanished in the ocean after going for a late night dip with friends say they won’t give up hope of finding him alive.

Matiyas Bekuretsion disappeared after going for an evening swim with three friends in rough conditions at Scarborough Beach in Perth after 8pm on Monday night.

The group got into trouble in the water, with three of the teens being rescued back to shore by locals, but the 16-year-old, who can’t swim, has not been seen since.

Search parties including water police, helicopters, boats and surf life savers combed the area for 36 hours to no avail, with the search effort suspended and declared a recovery mission on Tuesday night.

Matiyas Bekuretsion (pictured) disappeared after going swimming at Scarborough Beach in Perth

Despite the change to a recovery operation, Matiyas’ family have not given up on finding the Mercy College student alive.

His uncle Pastor Tesfaye Mebratu begged for the rescue effort to continue.

‘Please, keep searching, keep looking,’ he told The West Australian. ‘Matiyas had very strong faith and we will keep praying for him.’

Matiyas moved to Perth from Ethiopia two years ago and was popular among the local Ethiopian community and the Ethernity Sabeh Church. 

‘He was a very gifted boy, he never went out. He spent most of his time at school or at home with his family,’ Pastor Mebratu said.

The local community have been left devastated by the incident, along with his mother, who is in Ethiopia and has been told the tragic news.

A Surf Life Saving patrol car scans Scarborough Beach during the search effort for Matiyas on Tuesday

A Surf Life Saving patrol car scans Scarborough Beach during the search effort for Matiyas on Tuesday

Mirrabooka District Office Acting Inspector Cindy Morgan said it was unlikely rescuers would find Matiyas alive.

‘This is a tragic incident and we are going to support everyone involved, including family, friends and witnesses,’ she said.

Insp Morgan said authorities are still uncertain of how the teenagers got into trouble in the water. 

‘Whether or not it was a rip that took them out or they were hit by a wave is unknown to us at this stage,’ she said.

‘We believe that he was an inexperienced swimmer and obviously that makes it difficult to keep your head above water.’ 

A witness said he saw four people screaming in the water before a local man saved one of them. 

Matiyas went swimming with three other teenagers, who were rescued by locals, but Matiyas has not been seen since. Pictured: a jet ski searches along Scarborough Beach on Tuesday

Matiyas went swimming with three other teenagers, who were rescued by locals, but Matiyas has not been seen since. Pictured: a jet ski searches along Scarborough Beach on Tuesday

Search efforts went well into the night and included water police, helicopters, boats and surf life savers

Search efforts went well into the night and included water police, helicopters, boats and surf life savers

‘Four people were in the water, everyone was screaming,’ he told The West Australian previously.

‘Two young people got out and two younger people were still in the water. A guy about 60 jumped in there and saves one of them.’ 

Video of the search effort showed boats with search lights scouring the water in the darkness. 

Six vessels from Water Police and Volunteer Marine Rescue supported by Rescue 651 searched the ocean. 

‘The entire FSR fleet including R100, Resolute, Rover 2 and Gemini 1 are part of the multi-agency search off Scarborough Beach,’ Fremantle Sea Rescue said. 

An RAC Helicopter, Police air wing, local and water police, Marine Rescue Whitfords and Fire and Emergency Services also assisted in the search effort.   

Meanwhile, local residents, police officers and surf lifesavers were seen searching the beach shore with torches.

After a 36 hour search, police have changed Matiyas' rescue into a recovery operation. Pictured: A Fremantle Sea Rescue boat leaves its base to join the search effort

After a 36 hour search, police have changed Matiyas’ rescue into a recovery operation. Pictured: A Fremantle Sea Rescue boat leaves its base to join the search effort