Races have been cancelled on the final day of a major waterskiing event on the Victoria-NSW border after the death of a competitor on the water.
It was at least the sixth fatal accident at the event since 2006.
The Southern 80 waterski race takes place on the Murray River from Torrumbarry to Echuca, where the river has more than 120 bends.
On Sunday, emergency services were called to the river near Moama at about 10am, after reports a man had been seriously injured while skiing.
On arrival, Victoria Ambulance paramedics found the man had died at the scene.
He was yet to be identified on Sunday afternoon.
NSW Police will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Moama Water Sports Club president Steve Shipp said the man, who was on a competing team, fell and could not be revived.
Racing was immediately suspended and has since been cancelled, Shipp said in a statement.
“The club is co-operating with NSW Police and Transport for NSW-Maritime, in their investigation into the incident,” he said.
“As a ski racing family, we are here to support the affected family and team members as well the wider ski racing community in this terribly sad time.”
Earlier, ambulance officers were called to the same event to treat a man in his 40s with leg injuries. He was taken to Echuca hospital in a stable condition.
The race attracts entries from all over Australia, plus international competitors from New Zealand, the UK and the US, according to the event’s website.
However, it has suffered from a series of fatal accidents.
Sydney competitor David Perrotto died in 2006 while being towed at high speed during practice for the event. A boat collision claimed the life of Craig O’Toole in 2007.
Victorian racer Tim Driver died after colliding with another competitor in 2010.
Then, in 2016, Kevin Vahtrick, 47, died after falling into the water during qualifying races.
A year later, NSW driver David Morabito, 50, was pulled unconscious from the river and died after the ski boat he was driving flipped during a high-speed race.
