Sydney Harbour yacht death: community rally to support sailors, family in wake of race tragedy

Sydney’s tight-knit sailing community has been left shocked and shattered but “throwing their arms” around those affected by the death of a sailor in a Friday night social race on the harbour.

Sydney Harbour is one of the most famous sailing venues in the world.

The tight-knit Sydney sailing community is shocked and shattered but “throwing their arms” around those affected by the loss of a sailor in a Friday night social race on Sydney Harbour.

Counselling has also been offered to those affected in the wake of the tragedy.

Police on Friday launched an investigation into the cause of the fatal collision in what was supposed to be a fun Friday night “twilight’’.

The sailor, Nico Lassing, 51, and aboard the yacht Pendragon, suffered chest injuries in the incident involved two yachts close to a famous rounding mark, the Beashel Buoy, near the Sow and Pigs reef on Sydney Harbour.

The tragedy happened just prior to the departure of a 60 plus fleet of yachts in the annual Cabbage Tree yacht race, the majority racing in the upcoming Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

Many in this fleet knew sailors involved including Master Lock Comanche skipper Matt Allen, a three-time winner of the Sydney to Hobart, a former president of Australian Sailing and vice president of the Australian Olympic Committee.

The frontrunners at the start of the Cabbage Tree Island race which was also held on Friday night. Many sailors who competed were unaware of the tragedy until the race finish. Picture: Supplied Andrea Francolini/CYCA

“We are just so saddened to hear about the tragedy on Friday. When we stared the race we saw boats sailing around the harbour and we waved to the Pendragon crew and they gave an enthusiastic wave farewell,” Allen said. “We were really shocked to hear the news.

“Our whole community is saddened and we send our thoughts and condolences to the family.

“We are a very close community and there has been a huge amount of support and messages to the people involved.

“Counselling has also been offered very quickly. Some people have already taken this up.”

Aerial view of the remains of Andrew Short’s yacht in 2009.

The Sydney sailing community has been bought together by other past tragedies.

In 2009 well-known Sydney to Hobart sailors Andrew Short and Sally Gordon lost their lives when Short’s yacht hit rocks near Wollongong during the Flinders Island race.

Many sailors racing in Sydney’s twilight races on Friday when the latest tragedy occurred also knew both these sailors.

More recently in 2016, David Booth died in a boat collision during a race from the Royal Prince Alfred yacht club at Pittwater.

He was hit by a bowsprit in the freak accident where a crewmate also suffered a serious leg injury.

In 1998 six sailors from NSW and Tasmania lost their lives in the deadly Sydney to Hobart yacht race when smashed by cyclonic-force conditions which tore apart the fleet and triggered a mass search and rescue mission.

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