Body found at Fairy Meadow Beach following swimmer's disappearance

Wollongong police Inspector Jayson Joerdens said a member of the public called police just after 8am on Friday, November 3 to report a body in the water.

Police have since recovered the body, which will undergo a formal identification process to confirm if it belongs to the University of Wollongong international student who disappeared at the beach on the evening of Sunday, October 29.

The 28-year-old was swimming with friends when he got caught in a rip.

Witnesses saw the man waving for help.

"It was quite a powerful, strong rip. It was moving for quite a considerable amount of time," Surf Life Saving Illawarra duty officer Anthony Turner said on Monday about the conditions at the time.

Read more: Green spill near beach in North Wollongong second in a month

Emergency services were called at 6.40pm and a search began, before it was postponed due to fading light.

Police, Surf Life Saving lifesavers, Wollongong council lifeguards and Marine Rescue NSW continued the search in the following days, amid challenging conditions including large swell and strong winds.

They searched the coastline from Towradgi to Port Kembla, using boats, inflatable vessels, helicopters and drones, as well as dye to identify currents and undertows.

The search was called off on Wednesday, November 1.

A UOW spokesperson confirmed the university continued to provide support and counselling to students and staff in the wake of the man's disappearance.

Fairy Meadow Beach is a patrolled beach, but the man went missing outside of patrol hours.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

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