Charges over boat crash that killed mum of AFL rising star

The incident claimed the lives of two women, one of whom was the mother of a West Coast Eagles player, and seriously injured another man.

A man has been charged over a boat crash which claimed the lives of his wife and the mother of a young AFL player.

WA Police have charged John Phillip Burdon with two counts of manslaughter over the incident on January 23, when a boat he was allegedly skippering crashed into a red channel markers on the Mandurah Estuary.

Kylie Bazzo, 52 – the mother of West Coast Eagle Rhett Bazzo – was killed in the crash, along with Debbie Burdon, 54.

Mr Burdon, 47, appeared in Mandurah Magistrates Court on Monday, supporting himself with a crutch as he recovers from injuries suffered in the crash.

Police in court revealed Mr Burdon had a drink-driving conviction in 2019, but did not oppose bail.

He was released on a $100,000 surety, $100,000 personal undertaking, had to surrender his passport and is due in the Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on February 22.

Kylie Bazzo, with son Rhett and daughter Kameron.

Ms Burdon’s body was pulled from the water immediately following the late night canal crash, but Ms Bazzo wasn’t found until the following evening.

Her death prompted an outpouring of tributes from sporting clubs across Perth, many of which Ms Bazzo was involved in, partly due to her association with late husband Steve Bazzo.

He was a WAFL great who played dozens of games for several clubs, before succumbing to melanoma in 2015.

Originally published as Charges over boat crash that killed mum of AFL rising star