The man killed when his boat overturned in waters off the Sunshine Coast has been remembered as a much-loved father, husband and friend.
Captain Robert “Smithy” Smith, 52, was killed when his boat capsized at the mouth of the Mooloolaba River on Wednesday.
Having run fishing charters for 18 years, Smithy was preparing to take four tourists out for a day of fishing when tragedy struck.
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“It doesn’t matter how experienced you are, it doesn’t matter how many times you’ve done something, it can still go bad,” friend George Bury said.
Emergency services said a mayday call was made just before 5.30am, after the vessel was hit by a wave near a sandbar in 1.5 metre swells.
Local surf lifesaver Dave McLenaghan saw the men in trouble and jumped into action.
“(One man) was clinging to an esky, didn’t have a life jacket on, was screaming for help,” he said.
“We were able to pull him into the boat. We paddled straight to shore.”
Robert Smith was preparing to take four tourists out for a day of fishing when the tragedy struck. Credit: 7NEWS The four boat passengers were saved, however Smith’s body was found in the water a short time later.
“He was just loved and adored,” friend Ken Brown said.
“Smithy would not have pulled the bar on if he thought he couldn’t get him, his crew and his punters through safely.”
The sandbar at the mouth of the river had been dredged after Cyclone Alfred but is believed to have again filled with sand.
“Something, you know, has to be done obviously,” one local told 7NEWS.
“You know some poor family’s suffering terribly today over something that probably could have been fixed.”
Queensland premier David Crisafulli said an investigation into the incident should be done.
“There should be a proper investigation into that and if more needs to be done, of course it must,” he said.
Police said an investigation into the cause of the incident remains ongoing.