Two sailors died at sea in separate accidents amid extreme weather conditions during a Sydney to Hobart yacht race, forcing the line honoring Master Luke favorite Comanche to withdraw amid mass retirements, organizers said on Friday.
The race will continue as the fleet sails into Constitution Harbor in Hobart, with the first boats expected to arrive later Friday or early Saturday morning.
The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) in Sydney, which runs the yacht race, said two sailors, one on the Flying Fish yacht Arctos and the other on the yacht Bowline, died after being struck by a huge boom, a horizontal bar at the bottom of the sail.
The accident occurred on board the Flying Fish Arctos about 30 nautical miles east-southeast of Ulladulla on the New South Wales south coast. Crew members attempted CPR but were unable to revive their teammate.
A crew member aboard Pauline was injured about 30 nautical miles east/northeast of Batemans Bay and fell unconscious, and CPR was also unsuccessful.
“Our thoughts are with the deceased’s staff, family and friends,” CYCA said in a statement.
The deaths come 26 years after six sailors were killed in storms during the 1998 race, prompting a government investigation and mass reforms to the safety protocols governing the race.
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