Gunther Kitzler’s body was found about 8.45am (11.45am AEDT) yesterday, a day after he drowned while surfing at G-Land in East Java, about 90 kilometres west of Bali’s tourist centre.
The Basarnas search and rescue agency in Surabaya, the capital of East Java, said Kitzler went surfing with another Australian, called Christopher, and a New Zealand man named Gregor about 5.30am.
After about 15 minutes in the water, they saw his surfboard floating with his leg still attached, the agency said.
The men apparently told rescuers that as they were trying to get Kitzler to the shore, a huge wave came and snapped the leg rope, resulting in the man in his mid-50s drowning.
Basarnas said the pair reported the incident to their hotel and it was later reported to authorities.
Rescuers said they searched from the land because the tide was too high to launch a boat.
This morning, they said his body had been found at Grajagan beach, Banyuwangi, about five kilometres from where the Australian disappeared.
He was taken to Blambangan General Hospital but couldn’t be revived.
“Gunther was one of the genuine Bondi good guys to grow up with back in the 80s and 90s,” 1993 world champion Pauline Menczer said.
“Always kind, fun and an absolute style-master.”
Surf photographer Jason Childs said Kitzler lived the life every surfer dreamed of.
“The line up parted when the Big G paddled for a wave,” he said, in a social media tribute.
“Rest in peace our good friend!”
According to Tracks, Kitzler had been living in Bali for the past 25 years where fellow immigrant Troy Sinclair called him a “larger than life figure”.
