Brahim Terki, 50, and his sons, aged 12 and nine, were found exhausted but wearing life jackets after rescuers resumed the search early Friday morning.

The nine-year-old was found sitting on the jet ski, while his father was holding onto its side and his 12-year-old brother was floating nearby, The Nation reported.

Rescuers brought all three aboard a speedboat and took them back to shore, where medical personnel were waiting. They were later taken to hospital for further checks.

Rescuers bring a boy back to shore after his father and younger brother were also rescued off Thailand's Koh Samui Island on Aug. 15, 2026 following an overnight ordeal off the island. Photo Facebook/กรมการปกครอง

The family was located at 10:26 a.m. on Friday, around five nautical miles from Chaweng Beach in Bo Phut subdistrict, following an extensive search involving local authorities, police, rescue teams and private jet ski operators.

The boys' mother and older sister, who had remained on the beach during the search, were present when the family was reunited.

The family rented the jet ski from an operator at Chaweng Beach in Koh Samui District at around 5 p.m. on Thursday, according to the Bangkok Post.

After the 30-minute rental period ended without the family returning, despite staff signaling with a flag, the operator alerted authorities and launched a search at around 6 p.m. However, the family could not be found.

The operator initially dispatched other jet skis to search for them before authorities and members of the Koh Samui Jet Ski Club joined the operation using speedboats and additional jet skis.

A wider search involving local authorities, police, rescue teams and maritime officials was launched at about 8:50 p.m. on Thursday but was suspended around 1 a.m. due to waves reaching 3-4 meters, Thaiger reported.

The operation resumed at first light on Friday, with teams using two speedboats and 10 jet skis to search the surrounding waters.

Terki told authorities that he had taken his sons out to sea on the jet ski when rough waves hit the craft near the end of the rental period, causing its engine to stop.

Unable to call for assistance, the family spent the night stranded at sea, with Terki and his older son remaining in the water while the younger boy held onto the disabled jet ski, the Bangkok Post reported.

Terki thanked everyone involved in the rescue operation for helping the family return safely to shore.