Cruz and Temson Junior Simeki with Leonie Hafke. Photo/Givealittle
The devastated family of the Auckland man who was lost at sea in Bali are on their way to look for his body and comfort his girlfriend.
Temson Junior Simeki was swept away in Bali on Monday morning, while trying to save his German girlfriend, Leonie Hafke, 20.
She was hit by a rogue wave at the Angel's Billabong tourist spot, while the pair were trying to take a selfie on the edge of a cliff.
She was saved four hours later by an Australian snorkeller.
Simeki's brother Cruz Simeki spoke to the Herald as his plane was about to take off. He was travelling to Bali with his mum and Simeki's best friend. His dad and brother-in-law are already there.
He said they were going to visit Hafke in hospital and to be there in case a search returned his 22-year-old brother.
Cruz said Hafke was still in a critical condition but had stablised. She had been through a couple of operations for a collapsed lung and was covered in cuts and bruises. She was recovering at the largest hospital in Bali in south Denpasar. The Herald believes this to be Sanglah Hospital.
Cruz when he was shocked when he heard the devastating news. He said the family were planning to stay in Bali for a week to support Hafke who is "not in a good mind frame" and be there while the search takes place.
The search was called off yesterday morning when a magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck near Bali.
Cruz said the search should resume today. Villagers have been helping and scuba divers were going to join the search.
"They've got all the local villagers helping search. The chiefs are looking on the beaches.
"We are just hoping we find him or any of signs of him. We want something at least.
"All I could think about was him jumping in to save her and how she must have been feeling when she was found four hours later. I can't imagine what they went through. I feel helpless from here."
Cruz said the "adventurous couple", who were very much in love, had met about a year and a half ago at the Riverhead Tavern, where Simeki's mum also worked. They dated for three months before travelling around New Zealand then South East Asia.
Their plan was to travel Bali for a month, then Hafke would go on to Nepal while Simeki visited family at home. He would then meet up with her in Europe for more travel.
Simeki is the youngest of two brothers and two sisters. He was planning to come home early thjis month but had decided to stay an extra month with Hafke. He had booked a flight to come home on April 3 after a year of being away. His sister had just had a baby he was looking forward to meeting, Cruz told the Herald.
"We're just so distraught. We know he so badly wanted to come home and see us.
"TJ has got a big heart, he cares so much about his family. It was family first always."
Cruz, who is just a year older than Simeki, said they grew up like twins. He said his little brother had big plans to start a course and get into the IT industry.
"Everyone knew us as twins, we stuck together at a young age. He's pretty much my best friend.
"He just wanted to come home and be himself, do that start fresh after his travels away."
The family struck financial difficulty as Simeki's travel insurance expired on March 12 in time with his old plan to leave Bali. Cruz said they're trying to raise funds via a Givealittle page to help the family travel to Bali and get Simeki's body back home if they find him.
He said his parents are heartbroken.
"They are not doing the best, but we are just trying to be strong for them, we're here for moral support because it's really hard.
"They can't begin to think about what it's going to be like from now. It hasn't really sunk in yet."
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was looking into the Simeki's disappearance.
"The Ministry is providing consular assistance to the family of the New Zealander, and as part of this the New Zealand Embassy in Jakarta is following up with local police.
"For privacy reasons the Ministry will not be providing further details."
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