Missing Roxby Downs father Dan Cojocea’s family reveal the moment they found his body

The heartbroken loved ones who discovered the body of Dan Cojocea on the Eyre Peninsula say it was a miracle they spotted him.

If not for a “miracle”, missing Roxby Downs father Dan Cojocea’s body may never have been found.

But after days of emergency services searching rugged coastline south west of Port Lincoln, it was the beloved 43-year-old’s own family who made the grim discovery on Monday morning.

Just after 8am Monday, Mr Cojocea’s brother Sam and brother-in-law Michael Cantell found his body buried under seaweed just a few kilometres from where he went missing on Mary Ellis Wreck Beach on Friday afternoon.

Mr Cantell and his brother-in-law had been scouring the beach for several hours when they saw the top of Mr Cojocea’s head sticking out from the seaweed.

“By that time we’d almost given up searching and were sort of just walking along doing a general check out of the place and it popped up out of nowhere,” Mr Cantell told The Advertiser.

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

Missing Roxby Downs father Dan Cojocea 's family members at Sleaford on Sunday. Picture: Missing Link Media

“It would never have been spotted unless we were right next to him.

“All I saw was the top of his hair and it was blending in with the seaweed.

“I didn’t want to believe it but it was right there in front of me.”

Mr Cantell said the family was grateful Mr Cojocea’s body had been recovered but were still struggling to come to terms with his death.

“I guess it’s surreal in a sense,” Mr Cantell said.

Mr Cojocea went missing just after 4pm on Friday after rescuing his two sons and his best friend’s daughter who had been caught in a rip at the popular surfing beach.

A land, air and sea search was launched that evening to locate Mr Cojocea, who had been holidaying at Tumby Bay with his wife Alina and their four children.

Mr Cojocea’s sister Camelia Cantell got the call from her husband while she was searching nearby with another of her brothers.

“My heart just stopped and I just wanted to go and see,” she said.

“We very quickly jumped on the back of the bike and started going.”

Ms Cantell said it was a “miracle” her brother’s body had been found.

“It was through sheer miracle,” Ms Cantell said.

“If they hadn’t walked that way, they would have walked straight past.”

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

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

“It wasn’t the miracle we were hoping for but it’s still a miracle that we found him so we can hold on to that.”

Ms Cantell, whose husband found her brother’s body, said her family could finally have closure.

“It’s not the result we were hoping for but we’re grateful to have found him so at least the family can start having some closure,” Ms Cantell said.

“Everybody’s heartbroken and devastated.”

Ms Cantell thanked local police, including one officer who assisted in the search, for their efforts.

“He just went above and beyond,” Ms Cantell said.

Police will prepare a report for the coroner.