Some mounting the vigil at Oura beach were very close to him and were too upset to speak to The Daily Advertiser about the tragedy.

Hanif Ansari said he worked with Ali at the Teys meatworks at Bomen, but did not know him as well as other people the missing man was with at the beach on Christmas Day.

Mr Ansari and his friend Gholam Mohammadi were with another friend at the beach as a separate group and said they witnessed the tragedy.

They returned to Oura on Friday hoping for a miracle.

"We came down today because we hope to see Ali again," Mr Ansari said.

"Last night we were all thinking about this horrible event we saw yesterday."

Mr Ansari said he believed 25-year-old Ali was single and had no family in Australia.

"He came to Australia by boat," Mr Ansari said.

"It is sad he came all the way here over the ocean by boat and drowned in a river."

Mr Ansari said he believed Ali, an Iranian asylum seeker, had an appointment next month with the Department of Immigration hoping it would lead to permanent settlement in Australia.