Body found after search for missing Roxby Downs father Dan Cojocea, 43, near Port Lincoln

Emergency crews have retrieved the body of missing father Dan Cojocea near Port Lincoln, who was found after a four-day search.

The body of missing father Dan Cojocea has been found on a beach near Port Lincoln, bringing a tragic end to a large-scale four-day search.

Just before 8.30am on Monday, Mr Cojocea’s body was discovered near Lone Pine Lookout at Sleaford, about 1.5km from where he went missing.

Police thanked all personnel who assisted in the search and will prepare a report for the coroner.

Mr Cojocea, 43, was last seen just after 4pm on Friday afternoon when he disappeared while swimming with a group of children at Mary Ellis Wreck Beach, south west of Port Lincoln.

The body of missing man Don Cojocea was found near Lone Pine Lookout, at Sleaford. Picture: The Advertiser / Robert Lang

Emergency crews retrieved the body from the beach just before 8.30am Monday. Picture: The Advertiser / Robert Lang

He was swimming with two of his four children, aged between nine and 12, when he was pulled into a rip while his wife Alina and best friend, who he was holidaying with, were onshore.

Mr Cojocea’s younger sister Camelia Cantell said her brother was “loved by everyone”.

Dan Cojocea, who went missing at sea off Mary Ellis Beach. Picture: Supplied

Mr Cojocea’s family said he was a “fantastic dad”. Picture: Supplied

The 43-year-old and his family regularly visited the Eyre Peninsula on holidays and had been staying at Tumby Bay.

“He’s just a funny, fantastic man,” she said. “He’s friends with everyone.”

Ms Cantell, whose husband Michael was her older brother’s best man at his wedding, said her brother was her best friend growing up.

Mr Cojocea’s body was found as the search entered its fourth day. Picture: The Advertiser / Robert Lang

“We just want him to be found and reunited with his beautiful family and wife,” she said.

“He’s a fantastic dad, he’s a really fantastic guy.”

On Sunday, Eyre Western Local Service Area Officer-in-Charge Superintendent Paul Bahr said Friday’s conditions would have been “difficult” for swimmers.

Mr Cojecea’s parents at Mary Ellis Beach on Sunday, where Dan Cojocea went missing in the water. Picture: The Advertiser / Robert Lang

“I understand that it was quite windy and the waves were quite high and dumping quite severely,” Supt Bahr said.

“It would have been difficult conditions for swimmers yesterday, I would have thought, in the wave conditions.

“This is not the first time we’ve seen people get into distress in the water in this area.

“You really do need to understand that what you’re dealing with along this coastline is the Southern Ocean.

“You’re dealing directly with the Southern Ocean so it’s not protected, it is subject to all the vagaries of the ocean: the swell, the rips, the tides and all those movements.”

Almost 24 hours after their son was last seen, Mr Cojocea’s parents and other family members visited the beach for the first time since the incident, gathering at the water’s edge in an embrace.

His mother-in-law and father-in-law also stood with other family members as waves crashed in.

Emergency services underwent a four-day search for Mr Cojocea, who works in the mines at Roxby Downs, with a PolAir helicopter used as well as a drone and an SES boat.