The body of eight-year-old Eliachim Muteba has been found at Bellambi this morning.
It is understood a surf patrol discovered Eliachim’s body in the water at the northern end of Bellambi Beach before bringing him to shore about 11am.
Surf life savers have called off a search effort.
Police have also confirmed the body of a boy was found, and believe it to be Eliachim, though formal identification has yet to take place.
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The Towradgi boy was dragged off his feet and under water by a strong rip just moments after he and an 11-year-old female relative ran into the water about 6.35pm on Monday night.The girl screamed for help and a man attempted to go in after Eliachim, but his desperate efforts were in vain. The boy was gone.
A massive search effort, involving police, life savers and guards, the Westpac rescue helicopter, State Emergency Service volunteers and the Bendigo Bank Aerial Patrol, had failed to find any trace of the boy.
Supported by family and friends, Eliachim Muteba’s heartbroken mother yesterday returned to the stretch of beach where her precious son lost his life just days ago.
A visibly distraught Therese Milolo needed help to make the short walk from Towradgi Park to Corrimal Beach, where she sat for about 30 minutes just metres from the spot where her eight-year-old son went missing in rough seas.
Just before midday, a sombre group of men, women and children from the region’s African community and the Wollongong Church of Christ, formed a slow procession down to the beach where Eliachim was last seen alive.
Ms Milolo was helped to the sand just 100m north of Towradgi Point where she sat, gazing out at the water in silence.
After a few minutes she was helped to her feet and, bracing against two other people for support, made her way further up the beach to sit on a sand dune.
Flanked protectively by four men, the distraught mother’s eyes barely left the churning waves.As she sat there, the desperate effort to locate her son, described as a vibrant and energetic child who loved to dance and play football, continued.
After about 20 minutes the group rose to their feet and slowly made their way up the sandy path and back to their cars.
The poignant scene was witnessed by only a handful of onlookers who had gathered in dismal weather at Towradgi Point.
One woman told the Mercury she had come to the beach to say a prayer for the lost child.
Although the young boy’s name was released as Elakimu Muteba, he is known at school and church as Eliachim.
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