Two sailors have been killed in separate incidents after being struck by the boom on yachts competing in the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart RaceRace startOrganisers of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, which started on 26 December, have confirmed that tragically two sailors have died overnight in separate incidents during the race.
\nAccording to a statement issued by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) today (the morning of Friday, 27 December 2024 local time in Sydney, GMT+11 hours) the Race Committee were advised both crew members were hit by the boom.
\nThe two yachts involved were Flying Fish Arctos, a McIntyre 55, and Bowline, a Beneteau First 44.7.
\nBrisk downwind conditions at the start of the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race. Photo: Credit: CYCA\/Salty Dingo
\nThe CYCA statement reports that Flying Fish Arctos was sailing approximately 30 nautical miles east\/south-east of Ulladulla, around 150 miles south of Sydney, when the incident occurred. Fellow crew members performed CPR, but they could not revive their fellow crew.
\nBowline was slightly further south, approximately 30nm east\/north-east of Batemans Bay. Crew members administered CPR to the casualty, but officers from the Marine Area Command were informed that CPR had been unsuccessful.
\nThe statement continues: \u201cAs these incidents are being dealt with by the Water Police and all family members are yet to be contacted, we cannot provide further details at this stage.
\n\u201cOur thoughts are with the crews, family and friends of the deceased.\u201d
\nMan overboard at night
\nIt has been a challenging first day for the 104 boats racing in the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, an annual 628-mile bluewater classic offshore which starts on Boxing Day from Sydney Harbour and attracts significant interest in Australia.<\/p>\n
There was another potentially serious incident overnight when the Tasmanian yacht Porco Rosso had a man overboard. A crew member was reported to have been washed overboard at 0314hrs (local time) about 60 nautical miles off the NSW Coast.<\/p>\n
Other yachts competing in the Sydney-Hobart race diverted to help search for the crew member in the water, and a rescue aircraft was dispatched to the area.<\/p>\n
The crew member was separated from the boat by almost 1.2 nautical miles in pitch black conditions before the crew safely recovered him.
\nVice-Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, David Jacobs, commented: \u201cGoing overboard is terrifying \u2013 doing it at night is 10-fold terrifying.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, he commended the crew for their safety protocols \u2013 the crew member\u2019s personal locator beacon was activated, alerting the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, and the crew found and safely retrieved him from the water.<\/p>\n
Hobart retirements
\nSixteen yachts have retired in the first 20 hours of racing, including many of the expected front-runners for line honours.
\nThey include Master Lock Comanche, which retired with mainsail damage. Comanche is the race course record holder and a four-times line honours winner. The 100-footer was leading the race, approximately 63 miles off Green Cape, when the team retired.
\nMaster Lock Comanche racing in the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race before retiring. Photo: Rolex\/Carlo Borlenghi
\nShortly after, Wild Oats, another highly fancied entrant which has twice won the race in the past, retired with rigging damage.
\nThe previous year\u2019s overall IRC winner Alive has also stopped racing due to engine problems.
\nThree yachts are reported to have been dismasted, including a Sunfast 330 racing double-handed and the Reichel Pugh Maxi 72 URM Group.
\nURM Group navigator Alice Parker reported: \u201cI was downstairs, we were about to get the A4 (asymmetric spinnaker) off, then there was a big bang and a big collapse. The mast broke 1.5 metres above the deck, right above the instruments.
\n\u201cThe boys did a really good job of cutting the rig away and we are heading to Eden.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re all pretty gutted. The boat was really lit up. We were doing really well. We were averaging 20 knots in 25 knots of breeze.\u201d
\nURM Group racing in the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race before dismasting. Photo: Rolex\/Carlo Borlenghi
\nFast run to Tasmania
\nConditions are understood to be fast, with a 20-25 knot north\/north-easterly breeze for most of the fleet sailing down the New South Wales coast, but not yet extreme, though forecast to build as the fleet crosses the Bass Strait.
\nChristian Beck\u2019s 100ft LawConnect is currently leading the fleet to Hobart, Tasmania, followed by the Volvo 70 Celestial, which is also leading on IRC, and Grant Wharington with Wild Thing 100.
\nThe post Two sailors killed in separate incidents during Rolex Sydney Hobart Race appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Two sailors have been killed in separate incidents after being struck by the boom on yachts competing in the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart RaceRace startOrganisers of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, which started on 26 December, have confirmed that tragically … <\/p>\n