A 72-hour search for a father of four swept out to sea after getting caught in a rip has ended in tragedy.

Police confirmed on Monday the body of 43-year-old Dan Cojocea, of Roxby Downs, had been found on South Australia’s remote Sleaford beach, near Port Lincoln.

It follows a three-day search after police and emergency services were called to Mary Ellis Beach, south-west of Port Lincoln, just before 4pm on Friday, amid reports of people caught in a rip and unable to return to shore.

Cojocea was reportedly swimming with six children when the group got caught in the rip.

Six children were rescued from the water and four taken to hospital. But he was caught in large waves near the shore and disappeared.

“Somehow Dan got the kids out, and he … just kept encouraging them to keep swimming,” close friend Riaan Grobler told the Seven Network.

“He’s my hero, he saved my daughter … he saved his two kids, it was a very selfless act.”

Emergency services began a large-scale search for Cojocea, involving police helicopters, boats, SES drones and ground crews, before the sad discovery just before 8.30am (local time) on Monday.

Cojocea was reportedly camping at Mary Ellis beach with his wife and four children, and another family.

There are no suspicious circumstances and police will prepare a report for the coroner.

-with AAP