Dan Cojocea, 43, from Roxby Downs identified as the man missing in waters near Port Lincoln

Family members are using quad bikes to scour the shoreline for any signs of an SA dad who went missing on Friday, when he was pulled into a rip near Port Lincoln.

Dan Cojocea, 43, from Roxby Downs is still missing at sea off Mary Ellis Beach. Picture Supplied

The official search for missing Roxby Downs father Dan Cojocea has been paused as family members look for any signs of him on quad bikes.

Mr Cojocea’s heartbroken wife Alina arrived at Mary Ellis Wreck Beach just after 8.30am Sunday, flanked by family members.

It is the first time she has returned to the beach since her husband of 18 years was caught in a rip while swimming with two of their four children.

Meanwhile, Mr Cojocea’s family, some of whom travelled from Melbourne, have begun scouring the coastline for any sign of the 43-year-old, using a quad bike to travel up and down the beach.

The official search has been paused but is expected to continue on Sunday afternoon.

Last night his devastated family remained hopeful a “one in a million miracle” would bring him back to them.

Mr Cojocea was last seen on Friday afternoon when he was pulled into a rip while swimming with a group of children at Mary Ellis Beach, south west of Port Lincoln.

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.

Emergency services received reports Mr Cojocea and a group of children were in distress just after 4pm Friday but despite a search being launched shortly after, he has not been found.

On Saturday morning, his distressed younger sister Camelia Cantell said her family was not giving up on finding her “loving” and “caring” older brother.

“We’re still holding the highest hope in believing,” Ms Cantell said.

“Until there’s a resolution, until we find him, then we hope.

“Maybe one day he’ll just laugh about it, about his adventures, he likes to tell a good story.”

Ms Cantell urged anyone who might see anything that could be related to her brother to contact the police.

“We’re believing that maybe he’s bumped his leg or whatever, but we’re believing in the best outcome.

“Anything’s possible ... we still hold onto that hope that’s really important to us.

“You’ve got to tell yourself a good story and just remain in the fact that anything’s possible and so even with people still out there looking for him now, we still hold onto that hope that’s really important to us.”

Ms Cantell described her brother as being “loved by everyone”.

“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.

“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.”

The Parents of Dan Cojocea at Mary Ellis Beach, where Dan has gone missing in the water. Picture: Robert Lang

Missing man Dan Cojocea’s sister Camelia Cantell and brother-in-law Michael Cantell talk to police during the search. Picture: Rob Lang,

Mary Ellis Beach was largely deserted throughout Saturday, with only a few locals visiting the area to swim.

Mr Cojocea and his family regularly visited the Eyre Peninsula, including Mary Ellis Beach, on holidays and had been staying at Tumby Bay.

“They love this area,” Ms Cantell said.

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 had resumed their search for Mr Cojocea, who works in the mines at Roxby Downs, just after 6.30am Saturday, with a PolAir helicopter utilised as well as a drone and an SES boat.

The search was paused on Saturday afternoon but was expected to resume on Sunday morning.

Mr Cojocea was reportedly swimming with a group of six children, who have been rescued from the water, and were receiving treatment from SA Ambulance crews. Picture Robert Lang

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

“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 vagueries of the ocean: the swell, the rips, the tides and all those movements.

A group of people at Mary Ellis Beach, where Dan Cojecea has gone missing in the water. Picture: Robert Lang

Superintendent Paul Bahr said police weren’t giving up hope on finding Mr Cojocea. Picture: Robert Lang

“You do need to be careful and take care if entering the water in this area.”

Supt Bahr said none of the children in the water when Mr Cojocea was caught in the rip had been seriously injured.

Several of them remained in hospital on Saturday evening.

“I can imagine this is a very emotional time and a very distressing time for them,” Supt Bahr said.

“I’m hopeful that the right support is being wrapped around them to make sure they’re assisted through this.”

He said police weren’t giving up hope of finding Mr Cojocea and would continue to search the coastline.

Ms Cantell said: “We just want to find him. It’s never over until it’s over.”