Sailors dead in annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race

Sailors from two separate vessels in the Sydney to Hobart race have died overnight, race organisers Rolex say the deaths were on the vessels Flying Fish Arctos (NSW) and Bowline (SA).

At about 11.50pm yesterday, Thursday, December 26, officers from the Marine Area Command were notified by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority in Canberra that a crew member on board a yacht had been struck by a sail boom.

Flying Fish Arctos was sailing approximately 30 nautical miles east/south-east of Ulladulla when the incident occurred. Fellow crew members performed CPR, but they could not revive their fellow crew.

The Flying Fish Arctos altered course to Jervis Bay where it is expected to arrive early this morning.

Officers from the Marine Area Command were again contacted by another participating yacht, Bowline, at 2.15am today and advised that crew members were administering CPR to a crew member who had also been struck by the yachts sail boom.

Bowline was approximately 30nm east/north-east of Batemans Bay and crew members administered CPR. A short time later officers from the Marine Area Command were informed that CPR had been unsuccessful.

These incidents are being dealt with by the Water Police and all family members are yet to be contacted – police vessel Nemesis is currently escorting Bowline to Batemans Bay –estimated arrival time is early this morning.

No further information is available at this stage.

The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is an annual oceanic yacht racing event hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart.
The race distance is approximately 630 nautical miles (1,170 km) and the race is run in conjunction with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, and is widely considered to be one of the most difficult yacht races in the world.