Adelaide teenager swept off the rocks at tourist destination was days away from celebrating birthday

An Adelaide teenager feared drowned at a South Australian tourist destination was just over a week away from celebrating his 17th birthday.

Mehdi Habibi was taking a photo on rocks at Granite Island off Victor Harbor on September 1 when a large wave pulled him into the water.

He was celebrating Father’s Day with a family picnic when the accident happened.

Emergency services have been searching for him since then, but their efforts have at times been hampered by unfavourable weather conditions.

His father, Sayed Habibi said he would not give up searching for his son.

He and family friends have been returning to Victor Harbor, 83km south of Adelaide, daily with hopes of finding the teenager.

The family said they have not been able to go on with their day-to-day lives because they were constantly thinking of Habibi.

“We come every day here, in the morning until 6pm,” Sayed said.

“The family is in a very bad situation. We go home and there’s been no updates,” he said.

Habibi was meant to be celebrating his 17th birthday on Friday.

His mother was hospitalised with high blood pressure as a result of stress.

“The family is all the time praying,” family member, Abudin Hashemi said.

Habibi’s 14-year-old brother Sahil, who was with him when he fell into the water, said he had been in anguish since Father’s Day.

“I love my brother so much. It’s such a hard situation for me and for my family,” he said.