two sailors die during the Sydney-Hobart race

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, in Sydney Harbour, December 26, 2024. CARLO BORLENGHI / ROLEX / AFP The Sydney-Hobart race in mourning. Two sailors died on Friday, December 27, in two separate accidents during the famous sailing race in Australia, which took place in violent winds, organizers announced. The two crew members, one aged 55 and the other 65, on board the boats Flying-Fish-Arctos and Bowline, were struck by the boom – the rigid bar on which the boat is fixed. bottom of the mainsail – while off the coast of New South Wales. Police believe the crews were changing sails during the accidents, said New South Wales Maritime Area Command superintendent Joseph McNulty. “The hull, sail and boom are moving. Changing the sail is technical. This must have contributed to the death of these people,” he told reporters. “These two teams are having a tough time right now. They are shaken by what they saw and what they had to do. » The other crew members attempted to resuscitate their teammates, without success. Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers Vendée Globe 2024: approaching Cape Horn, the good humor and optimism of Yoann Richomme Read later These are the first victims since 1998 in this race of almost 1,200 kilometers which links Sydney to Hobart, on the island of Tasmania, passing through Bass Strait. In 1998, six sailors were killed and five boats sank while fifty-five participants had to be rescued when a hurricane hit the race. “The race will continue” Strong winds and rough seas were forecast for this race, which started on Thursday, which has taken place since 1945 off the southeast coast of Australia. Of the one hundred and four ships at the start, seventeen have already been forced to abandon, including the favorite ship, Comanche, the organizers said. During the two fatal accidents, “the winds propelled the competitors at speeds of between 25 and 30 knots [46 et 55 km/h]is very fast. But the seas were not particularly rough, according to the information I received,” said David Jacob, vice-president of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which organizes the race. “These boats can face such winds easily. They are ocean-going ships, they are used to it. » “The race will continue,” he added while recognizing that the two deaths would “have a very strong impact”. He also promised an investigation by the yacht club to help improve security during the event. It is “heartbreaking that two lives are lost in what should be a moment of joy,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement. “Sport” Newsletter Surveys, reports, analyses: sports news in your email box every Saturday Subscribe It was last year’s winner, LawConnect, who led the race early Friday afternoon. noon, eighteen miles ahead of Celestial. The only French boat to have won the Sydney-Hobart is Pen-Duick III with Eric Tabarly, in 1967. Read the summary | Article reserved for our subscribers Vendée Globe 2024: everything you need to know Read later Le Monde with AFP Reuse this content



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