The annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, which starts on Thursday, takes sailors on a 628-nautical mile race that exits Sydney Harbor and plunges south along the New South Wales coastline before crossing Bass Strait, rounding Tasman Island, crossing Tasmania’s Storm Bay and pushing up the River Derwent to Hobart.

Two people on separate yachts have died during the Sydney to Hobart race overnight. At about 11.50pm, police were told a crew member on board a yacht had been struck by a sail boom. Crew members performed CPR but the injured person did not survive.

Two people have tragically died in separate incidents during the Sydney to Hobart yacht race overnight.

The incident aboard Flying Fish Arctos occurred around 30nm east-south esat of Ulladulla on the NSW south coast.

One sailor each on Flying Fish Arctos and Bowline were killed after being struck by the boom, a large horizontal pole at the bottom of the sail.

The 79th Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht race will see 104 yachts make the 628 nautical mile journey south, as they contend for Australian sailing’s highest honour.