How the separate tragic incidents of the Sydney Hobart unfolded

In ‘violent’ conditions in the middle of the night, two crews were forced to perform CPR on their crewmates with whom they had practically lived on board those vessels.

Retired yacht Flying Fish Arctos in dock at Jervis Bay after a crew member died during the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

In “violent” conditions in the middleof the night, two crews were forced to perform CPR on mates with whom they had practically lived on board their respective vessels.

Just before midnight on Thursday, after 11 hours of sailing, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority received a call from Flying Fish Arctos requesting urgent assistance.

One of the crew members, Roy Quaden, had been struck in the back of the head by a boom – the part of a vessel that attaches the sail to the mast. The boat was 30 nautical miles east-southeast of Ulladulla as the crew performed CPR on Quaden, while still trying to keep the boat on course.

“It was moving violently through the night in challenging sea conditions and the crew member suffered a significant head injury,” Superintendent Joseph McNulty said in a police briefing on Friday.

About 2.30am, 30 nautical miles east-northeast of Batemans Bay, Nick Smith, a crew member aboard the Bowline, suffered a chest injury when he was hit by the main sheet and thrown against the winch – a mechanical device used to wind up rope from the sails. Travelling at close to 40 knots, the crew tried to keep Smith alive, but his injuries were too severe. Bowline crew called the water police for help and a police vessel, which was nearby, was deployed to the location.

Retired super yacht Bowline at Batemans Bay, NSW. Picture: Alex Coppel

“We believe at this stage of the early investigation that these vessels may have been changing sails at the time, so they weren’t actually sailing with the wind, so that creates a different set of circumstances. The hull moves, the sails are moving, the booms are moving, it’s a technical change of sails at sea,” Superintendent McNulty said. “So that may have contributed to the deaths of those people today.”

Cruising Yacht Club vice-commodore David Jacobs told media on Friday morning the forecast provided before the race was “not an extreme forecast”, but some experienced sailors in the race said it was the worst they had seen.

“The forecast was strong winds to gale-force winds. These fleets can handle those winds easily. They are ocean racers, they are used to the winds and they are not extreme conditions,” Mr Jacobs said.

Back on land, the crews were interviewed by police, then sat together in denial and grief far from home, trying to come to terms with what had just occurred.

Despite 22 yachts retiring from the race as of Friday evening, Mr Jacobs said it was the obligation of the skipper “to decide whether it’s safe to continue”.