Tragedy Strikes Sydney to Hobart Race: Two Sailors Lost

Two sailors tragically lost their lives in separate incidents during the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, marking the first fatalities in the event since 1998. The accidents occurred when they were struck by sail booms. Race organizers pledge to enhance safety protocols to prevent such incidents.

In a tragic turn of events, two sailors lost their lives during the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, a respected contest burdened with fatalities for the first time since 1998. The incidents have left the sailing community reeling, as they mourn the sudden loss of two respected members.

According to race organizers and local authorities, the fatalities occurred on Friday after both sailors were suspected of being struck by the sail boom, a pivotal horizontal part of the yacht's structure. Nick Smith, 65, from South Australia, was violently thrown across the vessel, and hit his head fatally on the winch.

The deaths of Smith, a seasoned sailor participating in his fifth race, and Roy Quaden, 55, from Western Australia, have prompted calls for a thorough investigation by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, aimed at averting similar tragedies in the future.

(With inputs from agencies.)