Two sailors have been killed in separate incidents in the treacherous Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, officials said yesterday, as a string of yachts retired in powerful winds and high seas.
One of the crew members, 55-year-old Roy Quaden on Flying Fish Arctos, was hit on the head by a boom as the fleet raced down the New South Wales coast, race organizers said.
The other man, 65-year-old Nick Smith, was struck by the main sheet aboard Bowline and thrown across the boat, said David Jacobs, vice commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.
Photo: AP
“Unfortunately, he hit his head on the winch, and that’s what killed him,” Jacobs said, revising earlier official reports that both sailors had been hit by booms.
Other crew tried to revive the two Australians, but were unsuccessful.
They were the first fatalities in the 628 nautical mile (1,163km) blue-water classic since 1998.
Photo: AFP / Rolex
Weather conditions played a part in the deaths, Jacobs told reporters, with one of the boats facing 30 to 38 knot (55.6kph to 70.3kph) winds and seas of 2m to 3m.
“They’re challenging conditions. You only need to be hit broadside by a wave and it will knock you across,” Jacobs said, adding however that the weather was not “extreme” for ocean racers.
In a night of drama, one man was also swept overboard from the yacht Porco Rosso and carried far out before being rescued by his crew, Jacobs said.
Photo: AFP / Salty Dingo
He promised an investigation by the yacht club to help improve safety in the event, but said that the race would go on.
Crews on the two yachts that lost men had been hard hit, New South Wales marine area command superintendent Joseph McNulty said.
“Both those crews are doing it pretty tough at the moment. They are shaken up by what they’ve seen and what they’ve had to do,” McNulty told reporters.
Twenty-one yachts — including race record holder Comanche — had pulled out from the fleet of 104 that left Sydney Harbour on Thursday bound for the Tasmanian capital, organizers said.
Many were dismasted or sustained damage to mainsails and other equipment.
Comanche’s retirement with a damaged mainsail overnight left the door open for supermaxi rival LawConnect to win line honors for the second straight year.
Comanche, which surged over the finish line in 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes, 24 seconds to set a new mark in 2017, was leading when it pulled out.
LawConnect held a lead of more than 14 nautical miles over nearest rival Celestial and was nearing the finish line at press time last night.
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