The search for a teenage refugee who was dragged off cliffs while posing for a photo on Father’s Day has been called off.
Mehdi Habibi, 17, was last seen walking across large rocks at Granite Island, near Victor Harbour in South Australia, on September 1 when he was swept out to sea by a large wave.
The teenager and his family were visiting from Adelaide when tragedy struck.
His devastated family has since gathered at the search site every day to closely monitor the search, praying for a miracle.
After searching the water for 10 days, authorities called off the search for Mehdi on Wednesday evening.
The large-scale search included the use of police helicopters, divers and drones to search the rock cavities.
“Police would like to thank the volunteers and emergency services for their dedicated efforts during the 10-day operation,” a police statement said.
Mehdi’s father Sayed promised that he would continue to go to Victor Harbor in the hope of finding his son.
Mehdi Habibi, 17, was filmed by his brother as he walked on large rocks at Granite Island in South Australia before a wave swept him out to sea
Medhi, who only became a permanent resident of Australia last year, dreamed of becoming an electrician
“That’s what I have to do, what else am I going to do?” he asked Seven News.
‘I don’t like working, I can’t do anything, I just walk back and forth in the area where he was last seen.’
“My heart will be broken if we don’t find him at the end of the day.”
Mehdi’s mother spent several days in the hospital due to the stress of her son’s disappearance.
“She has emotional ups and downs, it’s very hard, she’s a mother,” Mr Habibi said.
Mehdi’s brother, Sahil, filmed on his phone the moment the teenager was hit by the wave, as the teenager tried to get up on the rock face.
My brother said, ‘Take a picture of me,’ and I [took] “He’s a picture of him,” Sahil told Seven News last week.
A few seconds later, Mehdi was dragged into the ocean.
Mehdi Habibi’s family has been following the search and praying for a miracle for the past 10 days
The teenagers, originally from Afghanistan, arrived in Australia from Pakistan last year, where they were reunited with their father and other family members.
Medhi’s family are refugees who fled Baghlan province in Afghanistan in 1998, when the country was under Taliban rule.
They lived for a while in Pakistan, where Mehdi was born, but arrived on Christmas Island by boat in 2010.
It was only last year that the teenagers were allowed to remain in Australia.
Mehdi was supposed to celebrate his birthday, just a week after he disappeared. wanted to study at TAFE, become an electrician and improve his life.
Every day after school, Mehdi would help out in the family shop on Prospect Rd in Adelaide, before going home to do his homework.
The search for missing teenager Mehdi Habibi (pictured) ended on Wednesday evening
A GoFundMe was set up for the family by the Adelaide Sisters Association charity.
“The Adelaide Sisters Association is aware of the distress, pain and trauma that Mehdi’s father, mother, brother and family have been through during this time, as well as the loss of income as they continue to search for their son daily,” the page reads.
‘We hope that by raising money we can provide some relief to the family and ease the stress and burden during this already incredibly difficult time.
‘If you are unable to donate, we kindly ask that you pray (dua) for Mehdi and his family as they go through this heartbreaking, painful and challenging situation.
The fundraiser raised more than $2,600 in three days.