
The body of a young girl has been recovered from a river hours after her father was pulled from the water dead near their hire boat.
Police had been desperately scouring a stretch of the Parramatta River in Sydney's inner west for the girl believed to be seven years old after her father's body was found earlier on Saturday.
The girl's body was recovered by police divers about 5.30pm AEST.
The girl's mother and wife of the man has been notified of the tragic development and is being supported as police investigations continue into their deaths.
Police were called to Hen and Chicken Bay at Concord about 11.45am following reports a man was floating in the water and believed to be dead.
Officers boarded a member of the public's boat and pulled the man from the water, providing first aid, but were unable to revive him.
Specialist officers, including police divers and marine and aerial assets had been deployed before the girl's body was found.
NSW Police Burwood Command Superintendent Christine McDonald says investigations into the cause of the incident are ongoing.
The man has yet to be formally identified, but police said the family was from Westmead, in Sydney's west, and had hired the boat for the day.
Police understand the girl is the couple's only child, Ms McDonald said.
"Obviously, a mother in this situation ... it would rock any mother to the core," she said.
A friend of the man contacted police an hour after his body was located, raising concerns for the father and daughter's welfare, police said.
Ms McDonald said whether the incident was deliberate, including if family violence was involved, or an accident was a "definite" line of inquiry.
"We are literally only hours from when we located this man, so there are several lines of inquiry currently under way," she said.
"But can I say from the outset, this is an absolute tragedy for the family and the community on every level.
"We will leave no stone unturned."
A search of the vessel hired by the man will be undertaken as part of police inquiries.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline 13 11 14
Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.
Sign up for our emails