A competitor in the Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast died of a heart attack during the swim leg. Members of the public raced to his aid in the water off Mooloolaba Beach. Photo: Contributed

A competitor in the Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast died of a heart attack during the swim leg. Members of the public raced to his aid in the water off Mooloolaba Beach. Photo: Contributed Contributed

SPECTATORS of the Ironman 70.3 triathlon held in Mooloolaba yesterday have called the safety of the event into question following the death of a competitor.

A 39-year-old man, father-of-three Peter Farlecas from Ormond in Victoria, was yesterday pulled unconscious from the water during the 1.9km swim leg.

He was competing in the orange-capped men's 35-39 age category, which started at 6.11am.

Ironman Asia Pacific CEO GeoffMeyer said the man suffered a suspected heart attack during the swim stage and despite CPR attempts, the man was pronounced dead at the scene about 7.15am.

A witness said there was a lack of safety precautions.

"There was no life raft, jet ski or boat on the beach or in the water on the side of the race where (the tragedy) happened," she said.

The woman was standing on the platform of the Loo with a View watching friends compete when she saw four men splashing around in the water, about 100m offshore.

"One of the guys had his hand up and there had been a man floating out there for at least five minutes. Those guys had just been walking along the beach and stripped off and ran into the