Both crew members were struck by the boom on their respective ships. “These accidents are the subject of an investigation by the maritime police,” declared the race direction.
Published
Updated
Reading time: 1min

Two sailors died in two separate accidents during the Sydney-Hobart sailing race in Australia, organizers announced Friday, December 27. The two crew members, taken on board the boats Flying Fish Arctos et Bowlingwere struck by the boom while they were off the coast of New South Wales on Friday (Thursday in Europe) after leaving Sydney. The favorite ship, Comanchewas also forced to abandon this race of more than 1,000 kilometers which links Sydney to Hobart on the island of Tasmania via the Bass Strait.
The other crew members attempted to resuscitate their teammates but without success. “These accidents are under investigation by the maritime police and all family members have yet to be contacted, so we cannot provide further details.”declared the race management in a brief press release on their website.
Strong winds and rough seas were forecast for this race of some 630 nautical miles which has taken place since 1945 in the south-east of Australia. Of the 104 ships at the start, seven have already been forced to abandon, said the organizers, including the favorite Comanche who set a record for the event in 2017 in one day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds. In 1998, six sailors were killed and five boats sank while 55 participants had to be rescued when a hurricane hit the race.