Young Indigenous man cried for help before drowning while fleeing police, Queensland coroner told

Robert Malayta, 18, was found dead by police divers in the Ross River near the Townsville suburb of Kirwan in 2022

A young Indigenous man was caught up in a stolen car pursuit before drowning in an attempt to evade police by crossing a river, a coroner has heard.

Robert ‘Robbie’ Malayta, 18, was found dead by police divers in the Ross River near the Townsville suburb of Kirwan in north Queensland at 11.48am on 25 February 2022.