Volunteer surf lifesavers have recovered the body of missing jockey Chris Caserta this morning.
The 26-year-old disappeared during a late-night swim at Surfers Paradise on Queensland's Gold Coast on Wednesday.
Volunteers and emergency services continued their extensive air, land and sea search for Mr Caserta at about 6am this morning.
The operation, which had lasted more than 34 hours, had been unsuccessful until about 8.30am, when volunteers located a body about 200 metres offshore from Main Beach.
The Queensland Police Service said the body had since been formally identified as that of Mr Caserta, a rising star in horse racing who had moved to the Gold Coast to progress his career.
"Surf Life Saving Queensland lifesavers on wave runners found the body in the surf break, just south of the sand pumping jetty," a spokesperson said.
Surf Life Saving Queensland's Nathan Fife said the volunteer who made the discovery would be offered support.
"Unfortunately we've seen a tragedy here over the week," he said.
“We don’t do the job to unfortunately look for a deceased body.
Mr Caserta was last seen swimming past wave break at a Surfers Paradise beach on Wednesday night, after entering the water with a friend he'd been to dinner with.
The 25-year-old woman, a race track worker from the Gold Coast Turf Club, was seen by onlookers about 10pm struggling and screaming for help.
They came to her aid and she was taken to hospital in a stable condition for treatment, but Mr Caserta could not be helped and had not been seen since.
He was last seen wearing black shorts before he disappeared, before his body was located this morning.
Yesterday Queensland Police sent their condolences to friends and family of Mr Caserta and the wider racing community who would be deeply saddened and impacted by the news of his death.
Senior Sergeant Jay Notaro said he was devastated to have had to share the news with Mr Caserta's parents, who were travelling from Victoria to the Gold Coast to join the search party.
Mr Caserta had previously been living in Victoria and is survived by his two parents and siblings, including twin brother Matteo who shared a heartfelt tribute on social media.
