2 sailors in Australian yacht race killed in separate incidents as wild weather rocks event

Organizers said on Friday two sailors died in separate incidents amid bad weather during the Sydney to Hobart yacht race that forced line honors favorite Master Lock Comanche to withdraw amid many retirements.

The race will continue as the boats head to Constitution Dock in Hobart, with the first boats expected to arrive later on Friday or early on Saturday.

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) in Sydney, which manages the yacht race, said two sailors, one on the Flying Fish Arctos and the other on the yacht Bowline, died after being struck by a large boom. the horizontal pole at the bottom of the sail.

The Flying Fish Arctos incident occurred 30 kilometers east-southeast of Ulladulla on the New South Wales south coast. Team members attempted CPR but were unable to revive their colleagues.

A crew member on the Bowline was struck about 30 nautical miles east/northeast of Batemans Bay and became unconscious, CPR was also unsuccessful.

“Our thoughts are with the staff, family and friends of the deceased,” CYCA said in a statement.

The deaths come 26 years after six hurricane sailors were killed during the race in 1998, prompting a government investigation and major changes to the safety rules governing the race.