Two sailors have been killed in separate incidents after being struck by the boom on yachts competing in the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race
Organisers 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.
According 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.
The two yachts involved were Flying Fish Arctos, a McIntyre 55, and Bowline, a Beneteau First 44.7.
Brisk downwind conditions at the start of the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race. Photo: Credit: CYCA/Salty Dingo
The 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.
Bowline 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.
The statement continues: “As 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.
“Our thoughts are with the crews, family and friends of the deceased.”
Man overboard at night
It 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.
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.
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.
The crew member was separated from the boat by almost 1.2 nautical miles in pitch black conditions before the crew safely recovered him.
Vice-Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, David Jacobs, commented: “Going overboard is terrifying – doing it at night is 10-fold terrifying.”
However, he commended the crew for their safety protocols – the crew member’s personal locator beacon was activated, alerting the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, and the crew found and safely retrieved him from the water.
Hobart retirements
Sixteen yachts have retired in the first 20 hours of racing, including many of the expected front-runners for line honours.
They 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.
Master Lock Comanche racing in the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race before retiring. Photo: Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
Shortly after, Wild Oats, another highly fancied entrant which has twice won the race in the past, retired with rigging damage.
The previous year’s overall IRC winner Alive has also stopped racing due to engine problems.
Three yachts are reported to have been dismasted, including a Sunfast 330 racing double-handed and the Reichel Pugh Maxi 72 URM Group.
URM Group navigator Alice Parker reported: “I 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.
“The boys did a really good job of cutting the rig away and we are heading to Eden.
“We’re all pretty gutted. The boat was really lit up. We were doing really well. We were averaging 20 knots in 25 knots of breeze.”
URM Group racing in the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race before dismasting. Photo: Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
Fast run to Tasmania
Conditions 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.
Christian Beck’s 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.