South Australia Floods: Elderly Man’s Body Recovered

The body of a 65-year-old man, known as Tony, has been found after he was swept away by floodwaters in South Australia's far north-east.

Tony's disappearance on Saturday afternoon near Innamincka sparked an extensive search operation involving various emergency services and local volunteers. Despite their tireless efforts, Tony was located deceased on Monday morning.

The search area, Cordillo Downs Road, is part of the Cooper Creek floodplain, a complex and vast system that regularly experiences flooding. The floodplain spans across south-west Queensland and a portion of north-east South Australia, making it one of the most intricate floodplains in the world.

Innamincka, the remote location where Tony was last seen, is over 1,000km north of Adelaide and in close proximity to the Queensland border. The challenging terrain and fast-moving waters presented significant obstacles for the search and rescue teams.

Police confirmed that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Tony's death. Throughout the search, they maintained close communication with Tony's family, providing updates and support during this difficult time.

The search efforts included aerial support, water operations officers, local police patrols, and State Emergency Service personnel. The complexity of the floodplain and the ongoing flooding made the operation particularly challenging.