Two sailors died in separate accidents on the first night of the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in Australia, the event organizers announced.
The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia said in a statement on Friday that one sailor on the Flying Fish Arctos and another one on the Bowline were killed two hours apart after being struck by a sail boom. A boom is a pole fixed at the bottom of the sail.
“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,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a post on X.
“We send our love and deepest condolences to their families, friends and loved ones.”
Officials said later that another sailor on another boat, the Porco Rosso, was rescued after he was washed overboard.
‘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,’ a statement from Cruising Yacht Club of Australia said.
‘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.’
The annual 630 nautical-mile Sydney to Hobart race started in 1945. There have been 13 deaths over the history of the race, including six sailors killed in storms during the 1998 race.