SYDNEY — Double tragedy struck the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on Friday (Dec 27) as two sailors were killed in separate incidents, organisers and local authorities said.

The Race Committee were advised both crew members died after they were hit by the boom, the race organisers said in a statement released on their website.

The local New South Wales police said they were informed just before midnight that a crew member of one Sydney to Hobart entry was struck by a sail boom. Fellow crew members performed CPR, but they could not be revived.

A couple of hours later a crew member on another vessel was reported to have also been struck by a sail boom, and died.

Race organisers identified Flying Fish Arctos and Bowline as the boats where the incidents occurred.

The names of the crew members who died have not been released yet. The race organisers have scheduled a press conference later in the morning.

Bad weather has forced several boats to retire from the 79th running of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, which began on Thursday, leaving Law Connect as the new race leader in the South Pacific.

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