
An “experienced and popular” powerboat racer died after crashing into a houseboat while at a race event.
Suffolk Police said that the driver of the powerboat, a man aged in his 50s, died at the scene at Oulton Broad on Thursday.
The force said nobody else was injured.
The authority for powerboat racing, the Circuit Powerboat Association (CPA), named the driver in a statement on its Facebook page as 51-year-old Brett Duncan.
It said: “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.”
The authority said the collision happened at about 6.50pm during a local racing event.
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 in closely with partners and other agencies in relation to the incident.”