Body found at Maroubra Beach during search for missing teen Tu’ipulotu “Tui” Gallaher

UPDATE: JUST hours after emergency services pulled a body — believed to be 14-year-old Tu’ipulotu “Tui” Gallaher — from the water at Maroubra Beach, his family have told of their grief.

Police have found a body at Maroubra Beach, believed to be missing teen Tui Gallaher. Picture: Dylan Decosta

JUST hours after emergency services pulled a body — believed to be 14-year-old Tu’ipulotu “Tui” Gallaher — from the water at Maroubra Beach, his family have told of their grief.

“We are thankful he is found so we can have closure,” the teen’s aunt, Malia Niukapu Rudoi, said.

“We haven’t figure out arrangement yet two of my sisters are on their way to Australia from Auckland and my eldest sister who raised Tu’ipulotu when he was very young here is trying to come see him one last time.”

Emergency services called off the search for the missing 14-year-old this afternoon after a body was found near Maroubra Beach, close to where the teen went missing.

Mark Robson, 65, was at the southern end of the beach about 7:30am this morning when he saw two men attempting to lift a body onto a paddle board, 100m out to sea.

“I noticed a paddle boarder swim out. The next thing I know he’s waving his arms to a mate of mine who was sitting 100m away,” he said.

Tui Gallaher had been missing since Tuesday evening after going for a swim at Maroubra Beach.

Emergency services have now called off the search for 14-year-old Tu’ipulotu “Tui” Gallaher. Picture: Dylan Decosta

Mr Robson said the two men attempted to pull the body in but it was too heavy. At that point they alerted lifeguards.

While the body is yet to be formally identified, the search for Tui was this morning called off.

Police will now prepare a report for the coroner.

Tui’s mother Sandra Tamano camped out at Maroubra Beach with her family and close friends her son disappeared, holding onto hope that he might return.

Sandra Tamano talks about her son Tui Gallaher, whose body is believed to have been found this morning.

Family and friends wait on Maroubra Beach earlier this week for any news on missing Teen Tui Gallaher.

Today, his aunt said the family had set up a GoFundMe page in an effort to help with Tui’s funeral.

“We haven’t decided yet, we are waiting on his mother to let us know when she’s ready,” Ms Rudoi said.

“We just want to thank everyone who helped in the search.

“We are very grateful, no words can express how grateful we all for all their efforts.”

About 8.30pm on Tuesday, Tui and a friend were swimming at the southern end of the beach when they got into trouble.

One boy was located in the water by a 26-year-old man who assisted him to shore but Tui could not be located.

A busy Maroubra Beach as the search continued yesterday.

Tui and his family from Guildford in Sydney’s west, were on a daytrip at the time.

An extensive air and sea search was carried out before being scaled back yesterday with beachgoers returning in their hundreds as temperatures hit the high 30s.

The incident follows a string of holiday drownings. Today, police were called to Mermaid Pools, near Tahmoor south west of Sydney.

A man has drowned near Tahmoor, south west of Sydney. Picture: Channel 7

Police said the 27-year-old Pakistani National was swimming with friends when he ran into trouble.

He was pulled unconscious from the water and died at the scene.