Two sailors killed in Sydney to Hobart accidents
The bodies of two sailors killed in the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race have been returned to shore, as the race continues in wild conditions.
A sailor aboard Flying Fish Arctos and one on Bowline were fatally struck by their respective boat’s boom, a large horizontal pole at the bottom of the sail.
Both yachts have since retired from the race – two of the 17 pulled out by 8.45am on Friday after a west-southwesterly change brought strong winds to the southern NSW Coast and Bass Strait.
The deaths are the first in the race since 1998, when six sailors died in storms, triggering reforms to safety protocols.
Cruising Yacht Club of Australia vice commodore David Jacobs said the deaths would be investigated but many of the circumstances were still unknown.
“We always want to improve safety wherever we can, so we will do an investigation,” he said.
“If there’s something that boats can do to try and prevent this happening, we will implement it.”
The identities of the two sailors have not been made public, but Jacobs said several members of one boat were relatively new to the sport.
“But when you say they’re an amateur crew, there are very specific safety requirements,” he said.
Jacobs stressed the race would continue and the conditions were not extreme.
The fatality aboard Flying Fish Arctos occurred about 30nm east-southeast of Ulladulla on the NSW south coast late on Thursday night.
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Crew members attempted CPR but could not revive their teammate, notifying the Australian Maritime Safety Authority about 11.50pm.
Flying Fish Arctos altered her course to arrive at Jervis Bay on Friday morning.
The crew member aboard Bowline was struck approximately 30nm northeast of Batemans Bay about 2am and fell unconscious, with CPR also unsuccessful. A police vessel escorted the boat to Batemans Bay.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to the sailors who lost their lives.
“We have sadly awoken to tragedy in the Sydney to Hobart with the awful news two sailors have lost their lives,” he said.
“Our thoughts are with the crews, their families and loved ones at this deeply sad time.”
Third death averted as overboard sailor rescued
Details have emerged of a “terrifying” incident off Sydney to Hobart yacht Porco Rosso, which had to recover a crew member swept more than one kilometre overboard on a deadly night of racing.
The sailor was blown overboard as the 2013 handicap winner, formerly known as Victoire, made her way past Green Cape on the NSW Coast in the strong winds that had been forecast.
“That is one of the most terrifying experiences that you can have,” said Jacobs.
“(And) it was at night, which makes it tenfold more scary.
“Fortunately there are developed systems and procedures to cater for that situation to retrieve the person.”
The incident triggered the crew member’s emergency position-indicating radio beacon, a safety device that must be worn by all sailors in the race.
As a result, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority was automatically notified of the incident and contacted the Sydney to Hobart’s race committee.
AMSA also deployed an emergency aircraft to begin searching for the crew member.
“They had, we believed, been washed about 1.2km away from the boat,” Jacobs said.
Four-time line honours champion Master Lock Comanche, which had retired earlier in the race, was diverted to assist Porco Rosso in the search-and-rescue efforts.
The crew member was located, but Porco Rosso opted to retire at around 4.45am rather than continue into the Bass Strait, where strong to gale force winds were blowing.
“(The crew member) would prefer not to have had that experience, but they are healthy and well,” Jacobs said.
– with AAP
