Moruya River: Skipper charged after boat capsizes, passenger killed

Police have charged the skipper of a boat after a 66-year-old passenger died when the vessel capsized shortly after leaving a busy South Coast river mouth earlier this year.

Police have charged the skipper of a boat after a 66-year-old passenger died when the vessel capsized shortly after leaving the Moruya River mouth earlier this year.

Emergency services were called to North Head near Moruya at around 11am on February 9 after reports a boat had capsized.

The 6m aluminium vessel had tipped over shortly after exiting the busy Moruya River mouth, according to police, with the man and his two passengers being thrown into the river.

All three men were brought back to shore after witnesses threw lifebuoys from the break wall.

Police Marine Area Command search a vessel in this file photo. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Witnesses and NSW ambulance paramedics performed CPR on one of the passengers, a 66-year-old man, but he could not be revived and died at the scene.

The skipper, 67, was taken to Moruya Hospital without injury, with the third passenger - a 36-year-old man - also escaping injury.

The skipper was charged on Thursday following an investigation by Strike Force Barragunda, comprising of officers from the South Coast Police District and Marine Area Command.

The man is charged with negligent or reckless navigation causing death and will front Moruya Local Court on July 8.