The two men who drowned in waters off Tuross Heads after a boating accident at the weekend have been identified as Bert Ippoliti, 76, and Sam Salerno, 65.
The two men had been friends for many years and were both experienced fishermen and all round ''good guys'', according to locals.
Mr Ippoliti was described as a pillar of the community, who had often said that when he died, he wanted to be doing what he loved best - fishing.
Mr Salerno, a citrus grower from Leeton, was a regular visitor to Moruya, where he gave away boxes of oranges to locals.
They set out from Moruya on the 6m boat with two other people, when it capsized 2.5 nautical miles east of Tuross Heads about 8am.
A nearby charter boat was first on the scene and pulled the other two passengers, a man and a woman, from the water, but police divers did not discover Mr Ippoliti and Mr Salerno, who were trapped inside the cabin, until six hours later, for reasons that remain unclear.
A report outlining the circumstances surrounding the deaths will be prepared for the coroner.
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