Desperate family and friends are joining the search for a missing Melbourne man in outback South Australia.
THE body of missing Melbourne man Dane Kowalski is believed to have been found near Coober Pedy.
Police said they had located a body believed to be that of Mr Kowalski just after 12.30pm in scrubland 95km southwest of Coober Pedy
“Police are providing support for the family and friends of Mr Kowalski and will prepare a report for the coroner,’’ said a statement.
Mr Kowalski, 27, was last seen on December 13 in Melbourne and was thought to be travelling to Darwin.
Police began searching for him after his Holden ute was found on Tuesday.
Earlier today, Mr Kowalski’s mother — who went to the search scene initially believing her son was still alive — said she did not know how he could have survived in the Outback.
Dane Kowalski’s mother, Vera Kowalski, outside the Coober Pedy Police Station on Friday morning after she was briefed on the search for her son. Photo: Tom Huntley.
Vera Kowalski said the area where her son went missing was barren, with no water or shelter.
“How could anyone survive out here?” she said. “I just don’t know.”
Mr Kowalski’s mother, brother, aunt and family friends had joined the search and Ms Kowalski had also seen her son’s ute.
She said it must have been locked when her son left it because police had to smash a window to gain entry.
“I just don’t understand why he would have been off the beaten track this far. I just don’t understand,” she said.
Dane Kowalski’s ute where it was found in the desert. Source: SA Police.
After an hour at the search site, Ms Kowalski said her group would travel further north to see if there were any clues to her son’s disappearance.
Police, SES and CFS volunteers have spent the past two days searching for Mr Kowalski.
A drone aircraft was used to search the area from the air.
Searchers found tracks on Thursday as they scoured land between the Stuart Hwy and where the ute was found in scrub.
Mr Kowalski was last seen in Melbourne on December 13 and his disappearance, while travelling between Melbourne and Darwin, baffled friends and family.
Dane Kowalski was last seen on December 13 last year.
Four of his friends travelled to the Top End in January to look for Mr Kowalski.
They said it was unusual that he had decided to travel to Darwin on his own as he was a happy man who always wanted friends by his side.
Ms Kowalski has previously described his disappearance of her son as out of character.
An SA Police STAR Group officer and Coober Pedy SES volunteers search for Dane Kowalski 95km southwest of Coober Pedy. Photo: Tom Huntley.
Coober Pedy SES volunteers search for Dane Kowalski 95km southwest of Coober Pedy. Photo: Tom Huntley.
Missing man Dane Kowalski: Body found in desert near Coober Pedy
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