‘Devastated’: Two sailors die, third saved from surging sea in Sydney to Hobart

It was the news no one wanted to wake up to – two sailors fatally struck down in the black of the night as their yachts were smashed by violent weather on the first night of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

A third sailor was washed overboard, dragged through the water and forced to disconnect his lifeline before eventually being retrieved, as surging seas forced the main contender out of the race.

West Australian Roy Quaden, 55, and South Australian Nick Smith, 65, were killed during the Sydney to Hobart.

It was minutes to midnight on Thursday night when the boom of the Flying Fish Arctos whipped around and struck 55-year-old West Australian Roy Quaden in the back of the head.

The crew rushed to Quaden’s aid, performing CPR in an attempt to revive him, but he could not be saved.

The Mosman-based Arctos then changed course towards Jervis Bay, where police and paramedics were waiting for them.

NSW Police Marine Commander Joe McNulty said the Arctos crew were “devastated”.

The Bowline Yacht, which was hit by tragedy.Credit: ©Rolex/Andrea Francolini

“They are shaken up from what they have seen and what they’ve had to do, but gallantly they provided CPR to their crew member through the night, while they waited for police to attend, and they didn’t give up,” McNulty said.

Two hours later, with northerly winds driving them south into sharpened seas, Bowline swung into a gybe and the mainsheet of the mainsail whipped loose, collecting experienced 65-year-old South Australian sailor Nick Smith – who was on his fifth Sydney to Hobart.

It threw him across the cockpit, and he struck his head on a winch, the Vice Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) David Jacobs told media.

“We thought that he had been hit by the boom, as had Roy, and we’ve now learnt that that wasn’t the case,” Jacobs said.

“He was hit by the mainsheet, and the mainsheet threw him across the boat, and unfortunately he hit his head on the winch, and that’s what killed him.”

Bowline’s skipper, Ian Roberts, said the crew were in shock.

“Nick was a very valued crew member and a very experienced sailor … Having sailed many thousand miles with Nick, the skipper and crew of Bowline are devastated with this loss.”

A second sailor on board had his shoulder injured and was medically evacuated after the high-powered police boat Nemesis was dispatched to their aid.

Both vessels were about 30 nautical miles off the NSW South Coast, near Ulladulla and Batemans Bay, when the sailors lost their lives.

Luke Watkins was lucky to escape with his life after being swept off Porco Rosso as it plunged into a massive wave, 50 nautical miles east of Green Cape.

“I could feel I was on my last breath and when I popped up above the water, the boat was probably 200 metres in front of me,” he told Nine News.

“After about 10 minutes I could feel myself starting to get a bit cold so [I] went into a bit of a survival pose. It’s pretty rough getting thrown down waves, so it was pretty hard trying to keep my head above water most of the time.”

Watkins said thoughts of his young family had kept him going during the ordeal. “I thought, ‘This isn’t my end’,” he said.

The waves were up to three metres high overnight, winds were strong and weather conditions will be central to the investigations already under way into the dual fatalities.

Despite the deaths, injuries and retirement of about a fifth of the 104-strong fleet, Jacobs defended the CYCA’s decision not to cancel the race.

“It is a fundamental principle of yacht racing, once the race starts, the skipper has the right, and the obligation, to decide whether it’s safe to continue. So it’s the skipper’s decision whether he or she wishes to race or retire,” he said.

Investigators will also examine the experience of the ill-fated crews.

“Nick was a regular crew on Bowline … Nick’s done offshore racing, he did the Haystack qualifier, he’s done at least one leg of the Clipper ocean racing,” Smith’s club commodore said on Friday.

Quaden, too, was an experienced sailor.

The pair were the first to lose their lives in the race since 1998, a black year in which six people died, more than 50 were rescued and five yachts were lost in a giant storm.

During the day, condolences came in from across the nation.

“Our thoughts this morning are with the two sailors that tragically lost their lives in the Sydney to Hobart race overnight,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on X.

“The Sydney to Hobart is an Australian tradition, and it is heartbreaking that two lives have been lost at what should be a time of joy.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns thanked emergency services who helped rescue the crews.

“My thoughts and condolences to the crews, family, friends and loved ones of the two sailors who tragically died during the Sydney to Hobart race overnight,” he wrote on X.

“And thank you to every emergency service worker who responded to this difficult tragedy.”

Both yachts on which the crew died are now being treated as crime scenes.

Bowline, which is moored at Snapper Rocks inside Batemans Bay, is under the control of NSW Police while it conducts investigations and prepares briefs for the coroner. Flying Fish is at the naval base at Jervis Bay.

It’s common for fewer yachts to finish the Sydney to Hobart than set out – but this year retirements are higher than usual.

A total of 27 yachts had retired by Friday evening.

Race record-holder Master Lock Comanche, Calibre 12 and Centennial 7 are among the highest-profile retirees with damage to their mainsails.

Three boats – Philosopher, URM Group and Transcendence Rudy Project – were all dismasted, with photographs from the port of Eden showing one yacht with a splintered black mast.

Last year’s overall winner, Alive, was the first to pull out, suffering engine issues.

Quetzalcoatl retired for an unspecified crew injury. Lord Jiminy had to retire after a crew member had a flare-up of a pre-existing injury.

Double-hander Verite and Georgia Express both retired with electrical issues, the latter experiencing a fire. Ciao Bella was out with steering issues.

Six more pulled out with other damage: Bacchanal (US), Mayfair, Pretty Woman, Rum Rebellion, Wild Oats and Zeus.

As of Friday evening, organisers were bracing as the yachts crossed Bass Strait, renowned for its surging waves and wind.

Race leader LawConnect had made its way across the strait and was tracking the Tasmanian coast on Friday afternoon with a predicted finish of around midnight.

With Catherine Naylor and Daniella Miletic

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