WILLARD — The body of a 51-year-old Weber County man who went missing during a swimming incident at Willard Bay over the weekend has been recovered, authorities have confirmed.

Per an announcement from the Utah Department of Natural Resources, or DNR, the body of Robert Mittendorf was found Tuesday morning in the southeast corner of the bay, in an area known as Freeway Bay.

Mittendorf and his son had been swimming near their boat Saturday evening when a sudden storm swept through the area. Mittendorf’s son reportedly swam back to retrieve a life jacket for his father amid changing weather conditions. However, Mittendorf ultimately went under the water and failed to resurface.

Authorities later initiated a search that continued “well into the night” on Saturday, according to a press release, and was resumed early Sunday morning.

A member of Mittendorf’s family took to social media Monday asking for assistance as the search was set to continue the following day. They later indicated that Mittendorf’s body had been found.

“The family’s request for assistance posted yesterday was intended to seek help today, August 6, during what they believed could be a critical window for locating Robert,” Lindsay Higbee — communications specialist for the DNR/Utah Division of State Parks — explained in an email to the Standard-Examiner.

“After a drowning incident, it is sometimes possible for a body to become temporarily buoyant and rise to the surface a few days later due to natural processes. The family was hopeful that this might provide an opportunity to find Robert and bring closure to their search.”

Those participating in the search had faced challenging conditions, including murky water in the area.

On Tuesday afternoon, members of the Mittendorf family released a statement confirming the body recovery and thanking those who responded to the incident and participated in the search.

“Robert was a loving grandfather, father, brother and friend. He was a hard worker who would have given the shirt off his back for anyone. He was an adventurous spirit and a strong swimmer who grew up on the water and enjoyed all types of water sports. We would like to remind everyone that no matter how experienced you may be, please wear a life vest when on the water,” the release noted.

The family also offered its thanks to the myriad agencies that contributed to the search/recovery effort.

“This tragic event has left our family heartbroken. We ask for privacy as we navigate through this difficult time,” the release also stated.

Meanwhile, the Division of State Parks extended its condolences in the DNR release and implored all outdoor recreators to “prioritize safety.”