Tragedy Strikes Sydney to Hobart Race: Two Sailors Lose Lives

Two sailors were tragically killed during the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, the first fatalities since 1998. Both deaths occurred after crew members were struck by sail booms. Organizers expressed their commitment to safety improvements and investigations are underway. Bad weather has affected the race's progress.

Tragedy hit the Sydney to Hobart yacht race as two sailors lost their lives in separate incidents, marking the first fatalities since 1998. Race organizers confirmed that both deaths were caused by sail boom strikes, prompting a commitment to safety improvements.

New South Wales police reported that the first incident occurred just before midnight when a crew member of a yacht was struck by a sail boom and could not be revived despite CPR efforts by fellow crew members. A similar incident happened a few hours later on a different vessel.

David Jacobs from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia expressed the sailing community's devastation, highlighting the need for safety measures. Meanwhile, Law Connect has taken the lead as bad weather forced several boats to retire from the race.

(With inputs from agencies.)