UPDATE 8/10/22 :

Incredible. We are blown AWAY by the immediate support and love by all of our family, friends and strangers, that are not so strange to us now. Our hearts are a little bit warmer and hope a little bit brighter to bring our Dad home. Because of you we now have the full use of the search helicopter. We were also lucky enough to have lend of the Indonesian navy helicopter as it was passing through for extra support. We are now hiring as many boats and eyes on boats as possible to cover tidal paths mapped by the SAR HQ Team.

Even though we have reached our incredible target, the more we raise the more boats and man power we can resource, which can also further widen our search area and any other hiccups/or possibly open up more search options. Thank you all, your support keeps us going ❤️ Please see some updated photos below of what you have made possible and updated news links.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/20026433/dad-vanished-bali-still-alive-jungle-bear-grylls/

https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2022-10-06/familys-desperate-plea-after-grandfather-disappears-snorkelling-in-bali

PLEASE HELP FIND OUR DAD

On 28 September 2022 at approx. 5pm, Our Dad; 67, father of 6 and grandfather of 11, a British citizen was enjoying a celebratory retirement holiday with his partner Dianne after 36 years together when he went missing, whilst snorkelling at the Blue Lagoon in Bali. This is an urgent appeal for help from his family who are anxiously waiting in Bali for him to be found. He has currently been missing for 7 days and we need your help to continue the search to find him.

Our beloved Dad Graham Smith has centred his entire life around his family, a selfless man with a heart of gold who puts humour and care at the forefront of every day. He is known to his grandchildren as “Grandad Gray”, who he has had endless adventures with and still has many more to experience with them as they grow. His next project, on returning from Bali was to teach 3 of his grandchildren woodwork skills. This stage of his life is only just beginning, with, promises still to uphold and a life to live. He is a resourceful man who has been an electrical engineer, a lumber jack and handy man who devotes his life to helping his family. This is our moment to try and help him come home.

How can you help?

This is a desperate plea for help, to extend the search. Although the Balinese officials have tried their best to date, unfortunately the team does not have access to a helicopter. This is something that would make such a difference to the search and we hold high hopes to help us to locate Dad. Our target being two full days.

We are asking please please can you help in any way possible towards the costs of this.

Please do not be put off by our target, we appreciate any help we can get and every pound donated will help and could buy us another minute.

To hire a helicopter for a full day search (6 hour maximum) - £9600.

The hourly search rate is £1600 per hour and every hour counts.

Further to this at the end of the search day Friday 6pm the government will not be able to assist in the physical search and rescue. This is where we have been advised a private local team to carry on the physical search will be required, liaising with the Indonesian government officials - so any £1 reached after our target will/can assist towards our own extended search.

The story so far:

Our Dad is an active and adventurous man, who loves to travel and to explore, he is a regular at snorkelling and whilst he is not a very strong swimmer, he knows his limits and doesn’t take unnecessary risks. At around 4pm on 28th September, Graham and his partner visited the idyllic Blue Lagoon bay in Padangbai, Bali. This is a popular lagoon for snorkelling and therefore naturally he was keen to explore the beauty of what the area had to offer. He entered the sea at approx. 5pm whilst his partner sat nearby. At 5:20pm, Dianne watched as he explored the bay waters, as he snorkelled further from the shoreline and with the sun fading she lost sight of him. In her distress, she alerted the locals immediately with someone swimming out into the clear waters but unfortunately he could not be seen. The police were called with a search starting late that evening. Search and rescue teams in collaboration with the police have been searching land and sea every day since and still have not been able to find our Dad. Three of his sons and daughters in law made the 36 hour journey immediately on being notified to assist and support Dianne.

Friday 7th October, marks the last day of the official search and rescue for our Dad.

We would like to whole heartedly thank the Bali search and rescue teams who have worked tirelessly to try and find Graham.

We would also like to thank the Royal Karma Hotel Group, where Graham and now his family are staying who have gone above and beyond to support us.

Naturally we are all extremely distressed and we need all the help and support we can get. Please help us find him.

We absolutely cannot go home without him.

News reports so far:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/19957766/brit-man-graham-smith-missing-freak-tide-bali/

https://voi.id/en/news/213987/british-caucasian-graham-smith-lost-while-snorkeling-in-blue-lagoon-padangbai-bali

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/fears-british-pensioner-after-disappears-28116958

https://balitribune.co.id/content/snorkling-di-perairan-bloo-lagoon-graham-smith-hilang-terseret-arus

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/daily-mirror/20220930/281964611598682

https://newsarounds.com/2022/09/29/desperate-search-for-brit-68-missing-with-wife-off-bali/

https://chronicleslive.com/desperate-search-for-brit-68-missing-after-being-swept-out-to-sea-by-freak-tide-while-snorkelling-with-wife-off-bali/