Men Killed In High-speed Boat Crash

[mrmoshe]

Men killed in high-speed boat crash

TWO men were killed then their runabaout hit an unlit channel marker at high speed.

Police said the crash happened before 12.30am (AEDT) at Cunningham's Arm at Lakes Entrance in Victoria's southeast .

The Coastguard had seen the 5.4m boat circling after the accident.

Rural Ambulance Victoria (RAV) spokesman John Mullen said the boat was going around in circles and two men appeared to be sleeping or unconscious on board.

"One of our paramedics got on board and found that the men were dead," he said.

The men aged 35 and 36 were well-known in the area but their names were yet to released, police said.

They said the boat slammed head-on into the channel marker.

Police Sergeant Geoff Burnett believed the pair died on impact.

"The impact has punched a big hole in the bow, and the vessel was taking on water and doing circles under its own throttle," Sgt Burnett said.

The men would have known where the channel markers were and it was a mystery why they crashed into one.

"The markers are not required to be lit," Sgt Burnett said.

"But they are marked on all marine maps and boating maps for the Gippsland Lakes, and being locals, the men concerned would have known about them."