Man dies after suffering serious head injuries in marine accident

A man has died after sustaining serious head injuries in a marine accident on Thursday.

Emergency services were called just after 11.40am on Thursday April 23 to Little Street, Forster following reports of an incident on the Breckenridge Channel, between Wallis Island and Wallis Point Island.

Police were told a 4.3-metre aluminium boat, powered by a 50hp Yamaha outboard motor, had struck a sandbank while travelling along the channel.

A 79-year-old man was thrown from his seat and hit his head on the boat's anchor cleat, suffering serious head injuries.

The master of the vessel, a 71-year-old man, freed the boat and managed to get to the nearest boat ramp and radioed for help from Marine Rescue.

Marine Rescue volunteers began CPR on the injured man and paramedics continued treatment when they arrived but the man could not be revived and died at the scene.

The other man was taken to Manning Base Hospital for mandatory testing.

Police have established a crime scene and officers from Marine Area Command have launched Strike Force Yozze to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

A report will be prepared for the information of the coroner.

Police urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.