Sail Booms kills two people in Sydney to Hobart Race

Local authorities have confirmed that two sailors were killed in the sailor race, marking the first loss of life in this prestigious ocean race since 1998.

Local authorities have confirmed that two sailors were killed in separate incidents during the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

Race organizers said on the website both crew members died after they were hit by the sail boom, a horizontal pole that holds down the sails and swings according to the direction of the wind.

New South Wales police said they were informed before midnight that a sail boom struck a crew member of one Sydney to Hobart member. At that moment, crew members performed CPR but the sailor did not revive. A couple of hours later, a crew member on the other vessel was reported to be struck by a sail boom and died.

Race organizers identified Flying Fish Arctos and Bowline as the boats where the incidents happened.

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