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Lake Macquarie: Emergency services locate body after search for man who became separated from 'tinny’

Matt Shrivell
The Nightly
An urgent search is underway for a man missing off waters in Lake Macquarie.
An urgent search is underway for a man missing off waters in Lake Macquarie. Credit: Marine Command

A desperate search for a man who went missing while trying to salvage a boat has ended with the location of a body at a boat ramp in waters near Newcastle.

Police and maritime rescue services scrambled amid reports a man who was attempting to salvage a boat washed up on rocks near Lake Macquarie had gone missing after he became separated from the small recovery craft he was using on Monday.

Emergency services were called to the Croudace Bay Dog Park, Bareki Road, Valentine, following reports of a man in the water at around 5pm.

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Officers attached to Lake Macquarie police district attended and were told a 60-year-old man had been attempting to recover a yacht, which had run aground about a week ago, when a blue and yellow tinny he was using separated from the mooring.

The man was last seen attempting to swim to the tinny before a witness lost sight of him.

Police, with the assistance of officers from marine area command, marine rescue and the Westpac rescue helicopter conducted an extensive land and sea search.

At about 7.30am on Tuesday, a body, believed to be that of the missing man, was located near a boat ramp in Valentine.

The man is yet to be formally identified and a report will be prepared for the information of the coroner.

Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000.

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