Police, maritime safety authority probe man’s boating death at Gladstone

A maritime safety authority probe will dovetail with police investigations into the death of a man in a Central Queensland boating tragedy last weekend.

Gladstone's Trevor Laver Boat Ramp facility.

Maritime Safety Queensland will conduct its own probe into last weekend’s fatal Gladstone boating tragedy to dovetail with police investigations.

On Friday a Transport and Main Roads spokesman said MSQ would assist police by conducting an investigation relative to the vessel and its operation.

The TMR spokesman said the MSQ probe would focus on whether there were any breaches of the Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act 1994 or Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Regulation 2016.

“Queensland Police is the lead agency for the investigation of the fatality,” the TMR spokesman said.

“The intent of MSQ’s investigation will be to assist QPS in their investigation and report to the coroner as to possible causes of the incident.”

Gladstone's Trevor Laver Boat Ramp.

Emergency crews were called to Gladstone’s Trevor Laver Boat Ramp, on Gladstone Benaraby Road, at 10.13am on Sunday after receiving reports a boat had overturned and was sinking.

Two men on board the vessel, an 80-year-old skipper and his passenger, 48, both Gladstone locals, were pulled from the water.

A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said CPR was performed on the skipper but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The passenger was not physically injured.

Police have not released details on what caused the boat to capsize, saying a report will be prepared for the coroner.