Two Sydney to Hobart sailors on separate yachts have died at sea amid wild weather conditions that forced line honours favourite Master Lock Comanche to withdraw among mass retirements.
The race will go on as the fleet continues its passage to Constitution Dock, with the first boats expected to arrive later on Friday or early Saturday morning.
The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), which administers the yacht race, said that one sailor each on entrants Flying Fish Arctos and Bowline were killed after being struck by the boom, a large horizontal pole at the bottom of the sail.
The incident aboard Flying Fish Arctos occurred about 30 nautical miles east-south-east of Ulladulla on the New South Wales south coast.
Crew members attempted CPR but could not revive their teammate.
The crew member aboard Bowline was struck approximately 30 nautical miles east-north-east of Batemans Bay and fell unconscious, with CPR also unsuccessful.
One incident occurred about 11.50pm on Thursday, and the second about 2.15am on Friday, NSW police confirmed.
Police vessel Nemesis was escorting the second yacht to Batemans Bay, police said, and was estimated to arrive at 7am on Friday morning.
“Our thoughts are with the crews, family and friends of the deceased,” the CYCA said in a statement.
The CYCA vice commodore, David Jacobs, called the situation a “terrible tragedy” and said everyone was “devastated” about the news.
“We’ve got almost a thousand sailors out there on the seas to enjoy themselves and test themselves against the weather and whatever may come their way in the waves, and we’ve lost two sailors. It is a terrible tragedy,” he told ABC News Breakfast.
As at 8.30am Friday, 16 yachts – from the total fleet of 104 – had retired from the race. Three had lost their masts, two had mainsail damage and the others had “various equipment failures”, Jacobs told reporters..
He described the conditions as “very challenging” but not “excessive”, and some minor injuries have also been reported.
“We’ve got winds at about 25 knots coming from the north, seas [at] 2m or thereabouts,” he said. “So they’re conditions that most of the sailors would normally easily handle.”
Jacobs said the northerly winds had pushed the vessels down the coast, with the lead yachts travelling “extremely fast”.
“The sea was not unusually large from the information I have received,” he said. “They are likely to hit a westerly, which will turn south-westerly as they near [the] Bass Strait.”
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Jacobs said the CYCA would conduct an investigation into the incidents.
The vice commodore said he was “personally surprised” a number of the super-maxi yachts had pulled out of the race, including Master Lock Comanche, URM and Alive.
“It is unusual that we get so many of the larger boats pulling out,” he said.
Jacobs said that shortly after 3am a person went overboard on the Poco Russo yacht and was swept about 1.2 nautical miles from their boat, but safety protocols were followed and they were retrieved “well and healthy”. He said a personal safety beacon was activated, sending a satellite message to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
“Amsa sent out a plane to start searching,” he said. “NSW police were ready to dispatch a boat and helicopter, and a boat was diverted to help with the search. Fortunately the boat from which the crew member fell was able to retrieve that crew member and they are healthy and well.”
Jacobs said “going overboard is terrifying [but] doing it at night is tenfold terrifying.”
Asked if he believed it was safe for the race to continue, Jacobs said “yes, absolutely.”
Anthony Albanese said his thoughts were with the two sailors and their families.
“The Sydney to Hobart is an Australian tradition, and it is heartbreaking that two lives have been lost at what should be a time of joy,” the prime minister said in a statement.
“We send our love and deepest condolences to their families, friends and loved ones.”
Six sailors were killed in storms during the 1998 running of the Sydney to Hobart, which triggered a NSW coronial inquest and mass reforms to the safety protocols that govern the race.