Tragic find as missing elderly man’s body is pulled from dry creek bed

The search for a missing elderly man from NSW has ended in tragedy after his body was found in a local creek bed. 

Bernard Anable, 82, had been missing from his Bateau Bay home, north of Sydney, since 5pm on January 4. 

An extensive land and air search involving more than a hundred people was conducted with the help of the close-knit community and public appeals for information from local police. 

Police said Mr Anable wore a bracelet with his name on it and his family held concerns for his whereabouts because of an existing medical condition. 

Tragically, police said they found are body believed to be his in a creek bed in bush near Cresthaven Avenue in Bateau Bay about 2.10pm on Tuesday. 

Police had previously released CCTV of Mr Anable walking passed a bottle shop in the early hours of Wednesday morning – his last known sighting. 

Local residents were urged to check their backyards for any sign of the man and other businesses were asked to review their CCTV footage. 

Officers have established a crime scene at the creek bed which was attended specialist forensic investigators and a report will be prepared for the coroner. 

Condolences to the elderly man’s family along with praise for those who searched for him have been posted online. 

‘I am so heartbroken for his family. Thank you to all this RFS and SES volunteers who along with our emergency services searched for him. It was amazing to see the response at Bateau Bay oval,’ one person said.

‘Thank you to everyone involved in looking for him, very sad,’ another person said. 

‘I spent 15hrs on the ground with RFS Sunday search. It was a very hard search, no stone was left unturned. Unfortunately sometimes there is just so many places to look,’ a third person added.