Sydney River Tragedy: Man Dies After Speeding Boat Slams into Moored Yacht in Hunters Hill, Leaving Trail of Destruction
- A 40-year-old man has died after a horrific boat crash on the Parramatta River in Sydney’s north
- The vessel collided with a moored yacht, causing extensive damage and sinking it instantly
- Two people on board the boat, including the registered owner, were left with serious injuries and were taken to hospital
In a devastating long weekend on the water, a man has lost his life in a boat crash on the Parramatta River in Sydney’s north. The tragedy occurred at around 7.40pm on Sunday when a speeding boat slammed into a moored yacht on Wybalena Rd in Hunters Hill.
Police say the impact of the crash was “significant”, with the yacht sinking immediately due to the extensive damage it sustained. “There’s extensive damage to the front of the vessel and the impact was so severe that it actually immediately sunk the vessel that was on the mooring,” Acting Inspector Ryan Spong said.
The two people on board the boat, including the registered owner, a man in his 40s, and a 25-year-old woman, were left with serious injuries. They were taken to Royal North Shore Hospital, where the man later died. The woman has since been released from hospital.
Police began searching for the other boat, which they found a short time later outside a home on Herberton Ave in Hunters Hill. Acting Inspector Spong warned of the dangers of speeding on the water, saying, “If you’re out on the water, abstain from drugs and alcohol, wear a life jacket, slow down and know your safety equipment.”
This is not an isolated incident, with multiple water-based incidents reported over the long weekend involving vessels travelling at speed. Police are continuing to investigate and a report will be prepared for the coroner.