A body had been recovered four days after a man disappeared in the water at the Hume Dam in southern NSW.

Emergency services were called to the body of water, near Table Top, in the evening of December 23 over reports of a missing swimmer.

According to the NSW Police Force, officers located two children unharmed by alone on a boat in the dam.

“Officers attached to Murray River Police District were told a 64-year-old man entered the water from a boat; however, he did not resurface,” a spokesman said.

The Hume Dam straddles Victoria and New South Wales. Picture: Supplied.

The male body was discovered on Saturday. Picture: Andy Rogers
The incident prompted a multi-agency search of the waters, with the body of man located about 11.30am on Saturday.

According to the spokesman, he is yet to be formally identified but is believed to be the missing man.

Police will prepare a report for the coroner.

In a deeply emotional appeal, NSW Police have renewed calls for the safe return of 38-year-old father-of-two Daniel “Danny” Hayes, who vanished after leaving his two young children alone on a small boat off the southern New South Wales coast on December 25.

The children, aged 6 and 9, were found safe but distressed around 2pm on Christmas Day when a passing fisherman spotted the vessel drifting near Nelligen, approximately 10km inland from the open ocean. Police say the boat had been anchored in the calm waters of the Clyde River estuary, but Hayes was nowhere to be found.

A tearful family spokesperson, speaking on behalf of Hayes’ partner and relatives, delivered a desperate plea: “It’s time for him to come home. Danny is a loving father who would never willingly leave his kids. We just want him safe with his family for Christmas. Please, if anyone has seen him or knows anything, come forward.”

Police confirmed Hayes was last seen around 10am on Christmas morning when he took the boat out for what family members believed was a short fishing trip. He was wearing a red hoodie, blue shorts, and thongs, and was not carrying a mobile phone or life jacket.

A large-scale search involving Marine Area Command vessels, helicopters, drones, and ground teams has covered the Clyde River, Batemans Bay, and surrounding waterways, but no trace of Hayes has been found. Police say they are treating the disappearance as concerning but not suspicious at this stage, though they have not ruled out any possibility.

The children were assessed by paramedics and reunited with family members. They were said to be “shaken but unharmed.”

Detective Inspector Sarah Mitchell of Batemans Bay Police described the case as “heartbreaking,” adding: “Daniel is a devoted dad who would never abandon his children. The family is desperate for answers, and we need the public’s help.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or police on 000 if they see Daniel. A missing person report remains active, with officers continuing shoreline and waterway searches.

As the festive season continues, the plea from Hayes’ loved ones echoes across the region: “It’s time for him to come home.”