Mum of German Kassandra Muhr, 20, who died in a boating tragedy in Sydney Pittwater speaks out

Kassandra Muhr, known to family and friends as Kaysy, moved from Germany to Australia

The mother of a young German woman killed in a tragic boat crash has spoken of her daughter’s love of Australia, despite missing her terribly when she relocated to the other side of the world. 

Kassandra Muhr, 20, intended to only stay in Australia briefly but became enamored with the country and people before settling in Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

She loved boats and spent much of her time on the water and it was here she sadly met her fate when her small runabout collided with another vessel helmed by her boyfriend, 19-year-old local Kobi Bennett, on Sunday in the Pittwater area.

A nearby resident told The Daily Telegraph that he heard ‘an awful crash and a cry for help’. 

Her heartbroken mother Romana Muhr who is in Germany with Kassandra’s two sisters is understood to be making preparations to travel to Australia.

She said her daughter, known by those close to her as Kaysy, planned on returning to Germany eventually but had been away for about three years.

‘She left her soul in Australia, a place she truly loved,’ Mrs Muhr said.

‘I wasn’t really happy about Kaysy staying in Australia, but she was really happy and she found good friends,’ Mrs Muhr said.

She added that she was trying to get the family to come and visit her so she could show them why she ‘fell in love with Australia’.

Pictured: Kassandra Muhr

Ms Muhr (pictured)  loved boats and the water

Kassandra Muhr (pictured) posted about renovating her boat in the weeks before she sadly died in a high speed boat collision on Sydney’s Pittwater 

Ms Muhr was found unconscious in her boat after the collision on Sunday night by paramedics and sadly could not be revived. 

Mr Bennett who is a local boat builder was rushed to hospital with serious head injuries.

The boating enthusiast posted a picture to her Instagram two weeks ago as she sanded down her boat and wrote: ‘If you see a ghost flying (in blue Haines) over Pittwater that’s probably me covered in dust’. 

She was in the midst of fixing up the small runabout and had also posted about installing lights in the boat as a safety measure – with the Pittwater area being notoriously dark at night.

‘For what it’s worth. After actually never having any, I figured it was about time to invest in some navigation lights without the risk of getting caught every night. There’s still more wiring to do but at least they’re in,’ she wrote on July 10.

Police are investigating whether the German national and her boyfriend were racing in small runabouts (pictured) when they were involved in the boat crash

Police are investigating whether the German national and her boyfriend were racing in small runabouts (pictured) when they were involved in the boat crash

Pictured: Kobi Bennett

Local boat builder Kobi Bennet

Ms Muhr’s boyfriend Kobi Bennett (pictured) is understood to have been at the helm in the other boat and was rushed to hospital

Paramedics had to be winched down by helicopter in low light to a remote jetty near Elvina Bay on Pittwater at about 7pm on Sunday to access Ms Muhr and her boyfriend.

The area is opposite the exclusive Scotland Island where Ms Muhr was living in a two storey home set back into the secluded woodland.

As well as her small runabout, Ms Muhr posted about fixing up her yacht to her Instagram where she went by the name Pittwater Pirate.

‘Ahoy my fellow pirates. I figured as a girl with a huge passion for boats and the ocean as well as fixing things it might be fun to follow the rebuild on my 28ft yacht ‘Eric’,’ she wrote. 

Local said they heard a loud ‘bang’ followed by screams for help.

Whether the two were ‘racing’ is also a factor in the investigation, police said.

The man was treated at the scene for serious head injuries and then taken to Royal North Shore Hospital where he is reported to be in a serious but stable condition.

Ms Muhr sadly died while her boyfriend was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition after the collision in the Pittwater area (pictured)

Ms Muhr sadly died while her boyfriend was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition after the collision in the Pittwater area (pictured) 

Two NSW air ambulances responded to the accident, with witnesses saying they heard a bang and then cries for help from the water

Two NSW air ambulances responded to the accident, with witnesses saying they heard a bang and then cries for help from the water

Ms Muhr (pictured) loved boats and the water and frequently posted about her adventures to Instagram where she went by the name Pittwater Pirate

Ms Muhr (pictured) loved boats and the water and frequently posted about her adventures to Instagram where she went by the name Pittwater Pirate 

NSW Police Commander of the Marine Area Command Detective Superintendent Murray Reynolds said they have seized two boats in relation to the incident.

‘The investigation remains ongoing but there’s evidence the vessels came into collision with each other,’ he told reporters on Monday morning.

‘We’re yet to understand exactly what happened but potentially the vessels were going in opposite directions.

Both boats will undergo further forensic examination and detectives are also investigating whether alcohol and speed were factors in the crash. 

Det Insp Reynolds said the area where the crash occurred was ‘extremely dark’ even at 7pm.

‘It’s a tragedy, it’s a horrific set of circumstances,’ he added. 

Christine Marks from NSW Ambulance said emergency services had scrambled to attend the isolated scene, located off Ku-Ring Gai National Park. 

‘This was a major mobilisation of emergency services in very difficult circumstances — pitch black, across cold water, in a very inaccessible location,’ she said.

‘Our aeromedical team did really well accessing the patient under the circumstances. 

Ms Muhr was renovating her boat (pictured)

The small runabout is understood to have been involved in the crash (pictured)

Ms Muhr was in the midst of renovating her small runabout (pictured) which is understood to have been involved in the crash 

Ms Muhr (pictured), originally from Germany, had relocated to Australia a few years ago and was living in the Elvina Bay area

Ms Muhr (pictured), originally from Germany, had relocated to Australia a few years ago and was living in the Elvina Bay area 

The small runabouts crashed near Elvina Bay on Pittwater at about 7pm on Sunday - opposite the exclusive Scotland Island where Ms Muhr was living in a two-storey home (pictured)

The small runabouts crashed near Elvina Bay on Pittwater at about 7pm on Sunday – opposite the exclusive Scotland Island where Ms Muhr was living in a two-storey home (pictured) 

Paramedics had to be winched down to a remote jetty (pictured) in low light conditions to access the man and woman

Paramedics had to be winched down to a remote jetty (pictured) in low light conditions to access the man and woman 

‘(The man) suffered multiple cuts and bruises to his face and legs for which paramedics provided pain management.

‘I’m sorry that there’s been such a tragic outcome in this case.’

Two ambulance helicopters, four ambulances and water police responded to the accident. 

Police will prepare a report for the coroner.

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