Australia: Two dead in Sydney-Hobart yacht race

Two sailors have died in separate incidents in the treacherous Sydney to Hobart bluewater classic, race organizers in Australia said on Friday.

Both crew members were hit by booms as the yachts were making their way south along the New South Wales coast after setting off from Sydney Harbor in the race that traditionally gets underway on Boxing Day every year.

Two separate incidents result in two deaths

The New South Wales police said they were informed just before midnight on Thursday that a crew member of one of the entries was struck by a sail boom, a large horizontal pole at the bottom of the sail. A couple of hours later a crew member of another vessel was reported to have also been struck by a sail boom.

Other crew tried to revive them, but were unsuccessful.

Event organizers identified Flying Fish Arctos and Bowline as the boats involved.

"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," organizers said in a statement.

Weather plays critical role

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is an annual yacht racing event hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, New South Wales, on Boxing Day, and finishing in Hobart, Tasmania.

Weather is a critical factor in the race, first held in 1945, with winds and conditions often changing rapidly.

In 1998, six men died as five boats sank, when a deep depression exploded over the fleet in the Bass Strait.

jsi, ftm/msh (AFP, dpa, SID, Reuters, AP)