A 51-year-old powerboat driver has died after crashing into a houseboat during an international ‘high-speed’ race in Suffolk.
Brett Duncan has died following the collision during a competition at the Lowestoft & Oulton Broad Motor Boat Club, which had promised a ‘display of high-speed action on the water, featuring skilled drivers’.
Coastguard, crews and police rushed to the scene just after 7.10pm following the crash near the water sports centre.
The East of England Ambulance Service and the Coastguard were also called to the scene on Thursday night.
The race organisers said the event would be ‘a showcase of speed, skill, and determination’ on ‘challenging courses’.
It is believed a race had been ongoing at the venue around 6pm, however, this has not been confirmed whether this is linked to the crash.
Circuit Powerboat Association (CPA) have described the incident as a ‘lone racing accident’, with police confirming nobody else was injured.
Suffolk Constabulary and the Marine Accident Investigation Bureau (MAIB) have since launched a probe into the incident.
A statement from the CPA reads: ‘we are sad to confirm that circuit powerboat racer, Brett Duncan (51) has unfortunately succumbed to the injuries that he sustained in a lone racing accident.
‘As an experienced and popular member of the power boating community, we are shocked and saddened by Brett’s untimely passing and our sincere thoughts and condolences are with his family and friends at this tragic time.
‘We would like to express our thanks and gratitude to all of the event staff and the emergency services for their swift and timely response to the incident.
‘Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, there will be no further details released at this time.
‘We also request that the family is given the privacy that they need to grieve.’
Suffolk Police said officers were called just after 7.10pm to reports of a ‘collision involving a powerboat and a stationary houseboat in the vicinity of Oulton Broad Water Sports Centre’.
‘The East of England Ambulance Service, Coastguard and a volunteer paramedic from Suffolk Accident Rescue Service (SARS) were also on the scene but, despite the best efforts of medical personnel, the driver of the powerboat – a man aged in his 50s – sadly died at the scene,’ the force said.
‘There were no other injuries as a result of the collision.
‘Police are working closely with partners and other agencies in relation to the incident.’
A spokesperson for the MAIB said it was aware of the incident.
‘Our inspectors are in the process of making preliminary enquiries to better understand the circumstances which led to this accident,’ the MAIB spokesperson added.
This is a breaking news story. More to follow