The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency had sought the assistance of the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) after Nathen was believed to have drifted into Indonesian waters.

Mersing maritime director Khairul Nizam Misran said the search operation officially ended at 7pm yesterday as no evidence of the teenager was found in the waters of Pulau Bintan, Indonesia.

In a statement, he said the Basarnas operations centre in Tanjung Pinang had announced that the operation had stopped after a seven-day search, beginning on April 10, in the Indonesian waters.

The British and Dutch embassies had been informed of the decision.

The operation by the Indonesians involved army personnel, a vessel from the Indonesian maritime security agency Bakamla, the water unit of the Indonesian police (Polair) and a ship from Basarnas, he said.

Khairul said the Johor Bahru Maritime Search and Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRSC) expressed its appreciation and thanks for the cooperation of all parties involved in the operation.

Nathen was among four foreign divers reported missing in the waters of Pulau Tokong Sanggol, about nine nautical miles from Tanjung Leman here, on April 6.

However, Norwegian diving coach Kristine Grodem, 35, was found safe by a tugboat en route from Indonesia to Thailand on April 7.

British national Adrian Peter Chesters, 46, and French national Alexia Alexandra Molina, 18, were found by fishermen on April 9.

Nathen was confirmed dead by his father, Adrian Peter, who relayed the information to the authorities after he was rescued.

According to him, Nathen became too weak to hold out and died of exhaustion while they were adrift.