Twenty-one crew members, including the British Olympic yachtsman Glyn Charles, are missing, feared drowned, after mountainous waves whipped up by winds of up to 80 knots created havoc during the Sydney-Hobart yacht race. Fifty-three of the 115 boats in the race have been forced to withdraw.
Australian race officials confirmed early this morning that three crewmen had been washed overboard and were presumed dead, while another 18 yachtsmen were missing. Eight crewmen from the Business Post Naiad were winched to safety late last night, but two others were reported to have been washed away, according to the Australian search and rescue spokesman, Mr David Gray.
"Another two yachts, Winston Churchill and B-52, with 18 people on board, are still missing," Mr Gray told ABC radio, adding that there had been no contact with the boats for 16 hours. "We've airlifted nearly 50 people off yachts late yesterday, through the night and again this morning."
More than 25 civilian aircraft and five Australian air force planes were involved in the search for the two missing boats. The frigate HMAS Newcastle was due to arrive at the scene early this morning.
The Winston Churchill first sent out a mayday call at about 6 p.m. (7 a.m. Irish time) yesterday, saying it was taking in water and that the crew was preparing to board a life-raft.
The Sword of Orion, with a crew of 11, lost a man overboard and another crewman broke his leg when the yacht rolled over halfway across the Bass Strait. Crewmen from the B-52 were lifted off their yacht by helicopter during the night. In the race itself, the American maxi, Sayonara, was is narrowly ahead of last year's line winner, Brindabella, despite having to reduce sail.
The event has a reputation of being among the most challenging in world yachting. Six Irish yachtsmen are known to be taking part in this year's race. There were no indications last night that any of the Irish participants had got into difficulties.