An Australian man has died after being swept into the sea while heroically rescuing a distressed swimmer on a dangerous Bali beach.
Craig Laidley, 56, was walking along Balian Beach in Tabanan on Wednesday afternoon when he heard a German swimmer calling for help after being swept away by rough seas.
Laidley jumped into the water and managed to pull the German swimmer to safety, but soon after, the current caught him and dragged him out to sea.
Craig Laidley (pictured left) died after being swept out to sea while heroically rescuing a distressed swimmer on a Bali beach.
A desperate search was launched to find him, but tragically his body was found on Friday.
A land and sea search was launched to find him, and his body was recovered on Secret Bay beach, approximately 1 kilometer away from Balian Beach.
According to police, Mr Laidley lived in Bali but is originally from Perth.
Balian Beach, which is about a 90-minute drive from Denpasar International Airport, is a popular beach with tourists.
However, locals warn that it can be very dangerous due to powerful rip currents and large waves.
Witness Wayan Sudarma told ABC there are no warning signs on the beach, even though it was known to be dangerous.
“Incidents like this often happen here. About four months ago a foreigner disappeared. He was found dead 4 hours later.
“In the last five years, there have been five incidents like this.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says it is providing consular assistance to the family.