Man dies in river boat accident

March 2019

A man injured in the first of two serious boating accidents on South Australia’s waterways last weekend has died in hospital, police have confirmed.

The 37-year-old from Gawler South was one of two men on board a boat which upturned on the River Murray, about 10 kilometres upstream from Swan Reach, about 10:00pm on Friday.

Police initially suspected no other vessel was involved but now believe there was a collision between the men’s four-metre aluminium boat and another river craft.

A 40-year-old from Gawler East remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Police said the 37-year-old "passed away late last night", and Murray Bridge detectives continue to investigate the incident.

Less than 24 hours after the River Murray accident, two other men were critically injured in a race during a water ski event at Robe in the state’s south-east.

The two men, both aged in their 30s, were taking part in the Fury on the Bay festival when their speed boats crashed about 2:15pm on Saturday.

An SA Ambulance spokeswoman said both men suffered critical head injuries and were airlifted to hospital in Adelaide.