One dead in Sydney harbour boat accident

SYDNEY, March 8 (Reuters) - One man died and another was plucked from the water seriously injured after a powerboat due to take part in a major racing event capsized near Sydney's iconic harbour bridge, police said on Saturday.

A passing ferry noticed the upturned 23-foot (7 metre) speed boat just west of the bridge early on Saturday. Rescue services pulled one man from the water while the body of the other man was found inside the boat.

The boat had been an entry in the Australian Superboat Grand Prix powerboat racing event due to be held on Sydney harbour on Saturday and Sunday. Organisers said Saturday's races had been cancelled after the incident.

Police said the dead man has yet to be identified, while the injured man is being treated for multiple injuries, including fractures, at a Sydney hospital. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

In March 2007 four people were killed when a harbour ferry ploughed into a private motor boat filled with late-night partygoers under the harbour bridge. (Reporting by Jonathan Standing' Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)