A 20-year-old spearfisher has been taken to hospital with serious injuries after being struck by a boat propeller in Middle Harbour near Clontarf on Monday afternoon.
Emergency services were called shortly after 1.30pm on 3 August following reports that a person in the water had been hit by a powerboat. The man had reportedly been spearfishing when the incident occurred and suffered several deep lacerations to his back.
After being pulled from the water, he was taken aboard the boat and brought to a wharf at Sandy Bay, Clontarf, where NSW Ambulance paramedics treated him.
He was transported to Royal North Shore Hospital shortly after 2pm in a serious but stable condition.
Police Investigating What Happened on the Water
Officers from NSW Police Marine Area Command attended the incident and spoke with the 60-year-old skipper of the powerboat. Police administered a breath test, which returned a negative result.
At the time of publication, police had not established publicly how the incident occurred or whether the two men knew each other. An investigation into the circumstances was continuing.
Sandy Bay, on the Clontarf side of Middle Harbour, is home to a marina and numerous moorings and is part of a stretch of harbour used by recreational boaters as well as people swimming, diving and fishing.
A Risk Boaters Are Warned to Watch For
NSW boating rules require powered vessels to keep at least 60 metres from people in the water and from a dive flag or float, except in circumstances where the minimum distance cannot be maintained and other safe-distance requirements apply.
Transport for NSW also advises boaters to take extra care within 200 metres of divers and spearfishers because they may be some distance from their float or flag. Skippers must maintain a proper lookout, including for swimmers, snorkellers, divers and spearfishers.
The blue-and-white Alpha flag is used to indicate that divers, snorkellers or spearfishers are in the water nearby.
Those rules provide general safety context only. Police have not said whether any boating or diving rule was breached in Monday’s incident, and no finding of fault has been made.
Anyone with information or video footage that could assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Published 3-Aug-2026
