TV legend John Westacott dies after going overboard in Vaucluse boating incident

TV news icon John Westacott is being remembered by colleagues as man with two loves – sailing and a scoop – after his overboard death on Sydney Harbour. A witness has described the effort to save his life.

Television legend John Westacott has died after suffering a suspected medical episode while on a boat near Vaucluse on Sunday.

Mr Westacott had to be pulled from the water by NSW Police Marine Area Command after falling from a boat and into Sydney Harbour about 1.30pm.

NSW Ambulance paramedics rushed to the scene and attempted to treat him at Vaucluse wharf but were unable to save him.

Mr Westacott was a Channel Nine icon who spent more than two decades across the network and is well known for spending time as the executive producer of 60 Minutes, as well as on A Current Affair and Today Show.

He was even appointed as Head of News and Current Affairs at a time when the network was facing a ratings struggle.

Television legend John Westacott has died after suffering a suspected medical episode while on a boat near Vaucluse on Sunday.

Before moving into the world of TV, Mr Westacott spent time working for The Daily Telegraph and The Australian where he was known as an avid news hound who loved to chase the big stories.

A well-known boat lover, he was a regular out on Sydney Harbour and had also done a number of lengthy sails into international waters.

A well-known boat lover, Westacott was a regular out on Sydney Harbour. Picture: Robert Heazlewood

Fellow high-profile TV executive Mark Llewellyn recalled how Mr Westacott at one stage combined his two loves – news and sailing – to take part in and report on the 1994 Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

“Westy loved the news game almost as much as he loved sailing,” Mr Llewellyn told The Daily Telegraph.

60 Minutes executive producer John Westacott aboard "Marie Celeste" during the taping of the Sydney-Hobart yacht race in 1994.

Westacott was an avid sailor.

“If he could combine the two he would be in seventh heaven – in fact, he did. Once sailing his little yacht in the treacherous Sydney to Hobart with Charles Wooley as both seasick deckhand and 60 Minutes reporter. Pure Westy!

“He hated to lose, loved to get the big yarns and always dreamt of the next scoop.

“He made friends, made enemies, made bloody memorable TV and now sails to a better place.”

Mr Westacott was pulled from the water on Sunday afternoon. Picture: OnScene Bondi

In a joint statement, Nine Network bosses Darren Wick and Michael Healy praised Mr Westacott’s uniqueness and his promotion of women to senior positions, despite “not caring about political correctness”.

“Westy was an enigma. There was no-one like him. He didn’t care about political correctness and would publicly declare that,” the statement read.

“But, he was among the first in our industry to promote women to senior roles with 60 Minutes and ensure their voices were heard.

“He didn’t care where you came from, nor about your gender, ethnicity or religious and political beliefs. He cared about whether you had the passion and ability to tell a great story.”

Then head of News and Current Affairs at Channel Nine John Westacott (left) with TV host and journalist Ray Martin (right) in 2007.

In a statement, NSW Police said inquiries had commenced into the circumstances surrounding his death and a report would be prepared for the coroner.

An 18-year-old man who was on board the vessel with Westacott at the time was uninjured and returned to shore.

Owner of Rose Bay cafe Jezve, Dogukan Perk, said the tragic incident drew a large crowd of concerned onlookers at Lyne Park as police and ambulance services converged on the scene.

“When we saw what happened we were all shocked by it, we were all upset about it,” he said.

Paramedics and water police at the Vaucluse wharf following Mr Westacott’s death on Sunday. Picture: OnScene Bondi

Mr Perk, who watched events unfold from his harbourside cafe, said emergency services were “really fast” to arrive on the scene. He said an older man with white hair appeared distraught and was led away by police as emergency workers shielded the man with a sheet and attempted to revive him on the jetty at Rose Bay.

Rose Bay cafe owner Dogukan Perk said the unfolding effort to save Mr Westacott’s life deeply affected him and his staff.

Mr Perk said he was told on Sunday the white-haired gentleman had performed CPR on the man after he had a heart attack on a boat and continued to do so until paramedics arrived on the scene.

Another cafe employee suggested the swarm of emergency vehicles, including a Toll helicopter, appeared because the victim was a high-profile figure.

The cafe worker said a paramedic told him the man “did a really good job to try to keep his friend alive.”

“Watching someone fighting for their life, it affected us. Just to see someone out there fighting for his life.”