NSW: Community in shock after second speedboat death

AAP General News (Australia)
04-04-2010
NSW: Community in shock after second speedboat death

SYDNEY, April 4 AAP - A city on the NSW mid-north coast is in shock after an Easter
speedboat racing event ended in tragedy with the deaths of two competitors.

People from all over the world flocked to the Manning River at Taree for the 60th anniversary
of the Taree Aquatic Power Boat Clubs Easter classic powerboat race.

But the event came to a distressing conclusion when a 44-year-old American man was
killed when he was flung from his boat as it travelled at about 200km/h on the Manning
River about 1pm (AEST) on Sunday.

His wife is understood to have looked on as the river was dragged for his body.

He was taken to Manning Base Hospital but died a short time later.

On Saturday, a man named in reports as 61-year-old Brian McCosker from Tamworth died
when his powerboat flipped and knocked him unconscious.

Mr McCosker was well-known and respected in the speedboat community.

President of the Australian Power Boat Association Glenn Banks told Seven News he had
never seen anything like the double tragedy in the history of the event.

"We've had tragedies before, we've had fatalities before, but never have we lost two
of the best competitors in one weekend," he said.

AAP ih/jl

KEYWORD: FLIP UPDATE

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