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Image: Courtesy of NSW Police.

Tributes flow for Damian

Lynne Mowbray

Tributes are flowing after (what is believed to be) the body of missing Maclean man Damian Sowerbutts 48, was discovered in his submerged car in the Clarence River, on Friday.

The co-owner of Tartan Pizza in Maclean was last seen at 2am on Tuesday morning last week.

Tributes were posted on the business’s Facebook page on Saturday afternoon, after a post announcing that Damian’s car had been found by police divers and that Damian was in the car.   

A police media statement which was released on Saturday reported the following information:

A body, believed to be that of a man who went missing from the Clarence Valley area earlier in the week, has been located.
On Tuesday 14 January 2020, a 48-year-old man was reported missing to officers from the Coffs/Clarence Police District.
Just before 8.30am yesterday (Friday 17 January 2020) police were contacted after the discovery of a vehicle in the river off Yamba Road, Maclean.
Officers from the Coffs/Clarence Police District attended the scene and commenced an investigation.
With the assistance of police divers, the body of a man was recovered from the submerged vehicle just after 7pm. He is yet to be formally identified.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or
https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.

Floral Tributes have been placed at the entry to Tartan Pizza in Maclean and accident site, over the weekend. Images: Lynne Mowbray