Grave fears for Aussie Craig Laidley who vanished off a Bali beach after saving a swimmer- as his family issue a harrowing plea

A desperate search continues for a missing Australian man swept out to sea after he heroically saved a distressed swimmer's life at a Bali beach.

Craig Laidley, 56, was walking on Tabanan's Balian Beach, on the island's south at about 4.30pm on Wednesday when he heard a German swimmer call out for help.

The Perth man rescued Micro Stalla, 29, but was then swept out by the powerful current.

More than 24 hours later, the search for Mr Laidley continues.

'Last night our team try to search for the victim by combing the mainland and today the Denpasar Search and Rescue Office deployed 10 people divided into land and sea,' Denpasar Search and Rescue Office head I Nyoman Sidakarya said.

A joint team, dressed in bright orange, used rubber boats to search for Mr Laidley within a 10km radius of where he was last seen and scoured the coastline on foot.

'The wave conditions are currently extreme and the search is being conducted by the land,' Sidakarya added.

A concerned relative of Mr Laidley shared a poster online asking for locals and other tourists in the area to help with the search.

He recalled Mr Laidley swimming out to rescue the swimmer before being swept away by the current.

'He was then seen drifting back out to the ocean after saving this man's life,' Jayk Laidley wrote.

Local fishing boats have reportedly been assisting authorities in the ongoing search.

However, the sea operation was disrupted by 'extreme wave conditions', Mr Sidakarya said.

It's understood Mr Laidley was staying in a villa near the beach.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment.