Tragedy struck the Australian figure skating community Wednesday when a 10-meter motor cruiser and a Sydney Ferries HarbourCat collided. The accident occurred at about 11 p.m. local time under the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Three people died and a ladies novice-level skater from Australia, Morgan Innes, is missing, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Two of the deceased are international skating judges, Dr. Alan Blinn and Simone Moore. Innes, 14, from Queensland was on board the pleasure boat at the time of the crash but her body has not been found. The search for Innes continues but it is presumed she is dead.

A colleague of Blinn's, a 45-year-old man from Frenchs Forest in Sydney, was also killed. In all eight people were injured, two seriously.

Australian men’s champion Sean Carlow saved the life of his mother Liz Cain, a figure skating coach who skated in the 1980 Winter Olympic Games at Lake Placid.

Cain and her husband Peter Lynch, owned the boat, according to smh.com.au and were experienced sailors. The international skating group on board were in Sydney for a skating seminar.

The contact information for those who want to help and/or send support is posted on the Aussie Skates website: http://www.aussieskates.com/aussie_web/aussie_frame_news.

The Australian Department of Sport and Recreation is offering a grief counseling service open to all New South Wales Ice Skating Association members and their families. At the time of his death, Blinn was the president of the association, and Moore was also involved with the same organization.

According to published reports, the ferry hit the boat midship toward the stern. Blinn and Moore were standing on stern when the collision occurred.

The impact severed Cain's left leg; she was flung into the water after the crash. Carlow jumped in the harbor and rescued his mother.

Cain underwent surgery on her left leg at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Doctors were forced to surgically amputate her leg below the knee. She in stable condition but remains in intensive care.

Reports indicate that doctors are concerned by the amount of salt water she swallowed, and she still faces serious complications from the horrific accident.

The Sidney Morning Herald listed the other passengers on the boat as Carlow’s 80-year-old grandmother Eve Cain and his stepbrother, 5-year-old Orion Lynch, as well as seven other passengers, all with links to the ice skating world. Carlow, his grandmother and Lynch all escaped without serious injury, the paper said, and Orion Lynch was the only person on the boat not injured.

Belgium judge Rita Zonnekeyn, 46, is also among the injured. Zonnekeyn suffered a crushed pelvis and several other fractures, combined with internal injuries.

The accident is being investigated by the NSW police and the Office of Transport Safety Investigations.

Published reports indicate that the ferry was involved in a fatal crash earlier this year when a RiverCat ran into a boat in which two men were fishing near the Harbour Bridge. One man was killed.

For the latest news on the fatal crash in Australia see:
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