The body of 50-year-old tech entrepreneur Andrew Findlay has been recovered a week after he went missing following a boat accident in Sydney’s east, which also claimed the life of leading Indigenous art dealer Tim Klingender.
The father of three’s family was notified of the discovery on Wednesday. His body was found not far from where that of 59-year-old Klingender was retrieved near rocks off Watsons Bay at The Gap last Thursday.
Andrew Findlay was missing for nearly a week after a suspected boating accident.
Findlay, who was due to turn 51 next month, and Klingender were the only two on the boat and set off on a fishing trip from Sydney Heads that morning.
NSW Police confirmed Findlay’s body had been found.
“About 2.10pm (Wednesday 26 July 2023), a fisherman observed a body approximately 150m south of ‘The Gap’,” the statement read.
“Water Police responded and recovered the body, now confirmed to be a 51-year-old man from a boating accident last Thursday (20 July 2023).”
Tim Klingender’s body was found last Thursday.Credit: John Woudstra
They were travelling from Bondi towards Watsons Bay when they presumably capsized.
On Saturday Superintendent Joe McNulty of Marine Area Command revealed further details of the horrific incident, saying waves up to five metres high pushed the vessel into rocks.
“It appears they’ve … been swept by a large wave that possibly capsized the vessel and [has] thrown both men into the ocean,” McNulty said.
“It was violent sea conditions and a violent accident that occurred.”
Neither of the men were wearing lifejackets.
McNulty said he could not fault the boat, a 7.8-metre inflatable rib estimated to weigh four tonnes, but said the pair was travelling too close to the Watsons Bay cliff face.
“This was a tragic accident that police believe could have been avoided.”
The search effort for Findlay had consisted of three Marine Rescue NSW boats on Thursday and Saturday, and five on Friday, a volunteer crew from Botany Port Hacking, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and NSW Surf Lifesaving jetskis along with NSW Police divers.
Divers searched 1000 metres of underwater shoreline, while the area of search was expanded nine kilometres east, spanning from South Head to Cape Solander, before scaling back the search on Saturday afternoon.
With Anthony Segaert
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