The search for a six-year-old boy swept down the Murray River will continue for the third day in Monday, as police all but gave up hope of finding the child alive.
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On Saturday afternoon, the six-year-old boy was swimming in the river at a campsite in Gunbower Island Reserve near Koondrook with two families, both from Bendigo.
Chief Inspector Michael Tranby said the boy had been swimming with six other children when they started to drift downstream.
Four of the children managed to swim to the river bank, but three others struggled against the strong currents.
"Adults entered the water and were able to rescue two of them, but a six-year-old boy went under the water and he did not resurface," Chief Inspector Tranby said.
Police were called to the campsite just before 2.30pm and immediately began a search-and-rescue operation involving NSW and Victoria police, NSW SES, emergency services and members of the public.
Police divers joined the search around 9pm but they were forced to suspend the search overnight due to poor visibility.
After a second day of fruitless searching on Sunday, police divers and SES suspended the search before nightfall.
Police planned to continue the search at 8am on Monday morning, but admitted the search was now being treated as a recovery mission, with fears the boy had drowned.
"We have no doubts that he has passed away as a result of going into the water," Chief Inspector Tranby said.
"We are keeping in mind the nature of the river and what happens if you are not found within that 24-hour period."
Koondrook Caravan Park owner John Forbes estimated there were a few thousand holidaymakers at Gunbower Island, which is more than 50 kilometres long.
"The water's always moving pretty fast - if you're going to swim in the Murray you've got to have adults there with you," he said.
Gunbower Caravan Park owner Kim Nelson said she didn't allow her children to swim in the Murray without a life jacket.
"My kids have been brought up on the Murray. We'd holiday here every year before we bought the caravan park, and they weren't allowed in the Murray River without a life jacket. That was the camp rules."
"The current is quite strong," she said. "It's unpredictable because if you swim out that little bit too far, like kids do, it can get you. You've got to know the Murray.".
With Grace Millar
