The annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race has been marred by tragedy, with two sailors losing their lives in separate incidents aboard entrants Flying Fish Arctos and Bowline.
The vessels were struck by the boom, a large horizontal pole at the bottom of the sail, in wild weather conditions that left many boats struggling to stay in the race.
Wild Weather Forces Multiple Retirements
As the stormy weather battered the fleet, a total of 13 boats were forced to retire from the race between the starting gun on Boxing Day and 6am on December 27. The harsh conditions also led to the withdrawal of line honours favourite Master Lock Comanche, which had sustained damage to its mainsail while leading the fleet.
Death on the High Seas
The incident aboard Flying Fish Arctos occurred around 30nm east-south-east of Ulladulla on the NSW south coast late on Thursday night. Despite crew members’ attempts at CPR, the sailor could not be revived. The boat has since retired from the race and arrived in Jervis Bay around 7am on Friday.
Meanwhile, the crew member aboard Bowline was struck and fell unconscious around 30nm east-north-east of Batemans Bay about 2am. Again, CPR was unsuccessful, and the sailor was pronounced dead. A police vessel escorted the boat to Batemans Bay, where it arrived around 7am.
Racing Community in Shock
The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which administers the yacht race, expressed its condolences to the families and friends of the deceased sailors. “Our thoughts are with the crews, family, and friends of the deceased,” the CYCA said in a statement.
This is not the first time the Sydney to Hobart has been marred by tragedy. In 1998, six sailors lost their lives in storms, leading to major reforms to the race’s safety protocols.
Comanche Withdraws from Race
In a surprise move, Comanche, one of the most impressive monohull yachts in the world, withdrew from the race after sustaining damage to its mainsail. This marks the first time Comanche has retired from the race in eight previous runnings.
The withdrawal has propelled rival 100ft supermaxi LawConnect into favouritism for back-to-back line honours titles. As of 6:15am, LawConnect was 8nm ahead of second-placed Celestial V70 sailing through the Bass Strait.
Fleet Suffers Multiple Retirements
The fleet stands at 91 competitors, with several boats retiring due to damage or equipment failure. Leading handicap contender URM Group became the second boat dismasted this year, forcing it to pull out south of Montague Island.
The Sydney to Hobart yacht race is scheduled to continue, with the first boats expected to arrive at Hobart’s Constitution Dock later on Friday or early Saturday morning. However, the tragic events of the past 24 hours have cast a shadow over the event.
Remembering the Fallen Sailors
As the sailing community mourns the loss of two talented sailors, our thoughts are with the families, friends, and crew members affected by this tragedy. The Sydney to Hobart yacht race is a testament to human bravery and endurance, and we can only hope that the remainder of the event passes without further incident.