Sydney to Hobart: Western Australian Roy Quaden, South Australian Nick Smith identified as men killed in race

The WA man who died in a boating accident in this year’s Sydney to Hobart race has been identified as avid sailor and drilling engineer Roy Quaden.

The West has confirmed that Mr Quaden, who is listed as being the navigator on the Flying Fish Arctos, died on the first night of the boating race — which also claimed the life of a South Australian man.

The 55-year-old was reportedly hit by a sail’s boom that swung out of the NSW-based vessel and struck him in the head about 11.50pm on Thursday.

The crew were working to change the sail when the fatal accident happened. His distressed crewmates called the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) just before midnight on Boxing Day, NSW Police said.

“Just before midnight last night, the AMSA received the first made a call from a vessel Flying Fish Actros, who requested urgent assistance as one of the crew members had been struck in the back of the head by a boom,” Superintendent Joseph McNulty said on Friday.

“(The boom) was moving violently through the night in challenging sea conditions and the crew member suffered a significant head injury.”

Mr Quaden’s LinkedIn profile says he was working as a senior drilling manager for Japanese energy company Inpex out of Jakarta.

He had previously worked as a principal completion engineer in Perth while also working for over 13 years at Shell as an engineer and operations manager.

Mr Quaden is believed to have been living in Perth’s western suburbs and had travelled from WA to take part in the race. It is reported he had been sailing for decades.

The 65-year-old South Australian man who died in a separate incident onboard the Bowline vessel has been identified as Nick Smith.

Superintendent McNulty said Mr Smith was struck by the yacht’s boom just before 2am on Friday.

The royal South Australian yacht squadron said this year marked Mr Smith’s 5th Sydney to Hobart race.

“On behalf of the Commodore, Flag Officer, Management Committee, Members and Staff we extend our condolences to Nick’s family, friends and the crew of Bowline at this tragic time,” general manager Hayley Hunt said.

“We express our sympathy to Bowline Skipper – Immediate Past Commodore Ian Roberts & further extend our sympathy to Flying Fish Arctos and their crew.

“The Squadron will endeavour to provide counselling to the Bowline crew and any Squadron members in this difficult time.”

Bowline’s skipper and owner, SA barrister Ian Roberts, paid tribute to Mr Smith as a “great friend and a very fine and experienced yachtsman”.

“In very difficult sailing conditions, crew member Nick Smith was hit by the main sheet in a gybe that threw him against a winch. Despite immediate CPR administered by the crew, Nick was unable to be resuscitated,” he said.

“Nick was a very valued crew member and a very experienced sailor. Having completed 4 previous Sydney Hobart’s, numerous yacht deliveries and the around the world ‘Clipper Race Yacht’ race. He was also a regular competitor in the Hamilton Island Sailing Regatta.

“ Having sailed many thousand miles with Nick, the Skipper and crew of Bowline are devastated by this loss.”

Flying Fish Actros altered course to Jervis Bay while a police vessel escorted Bowline to Batemans Bay in the wake of both incidents.

Superintendent McNulty praised crews for their first-aid efforts in delivering CPR to Mr Smith.

Police detailed how a third death was narrowly avoided when a sailor onboard Poco Russo was lost at sea.

“Australian Maritime Safety Authority deployed their jet search and rescue to give us overhead coverage while we deployed Eden Water Police in their search and rescue craft to conduct the rescue for the male person,” Superintendent McNulty said.

“The yachts got together, conducted their own search and rescue, locating the person safe and well, cold but alive.”

New South Wales is handling the investigation into the matter.

Organisers of the iconic Blue Water Classic and the cruising yacht club of Australia have said they would assist with the investigation.

A sail boom is a long pole that extends horizontally from the bottom of the yacht’s mast. It is attached to the bottom of the sail and can swing quickly to allow crews to control the sail’s shape and angle in response to winds.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has extended his condolences to the crews, families and loved ones who knew the late sailors.

“We have sadly awoken to tragedy in the Sydney to Hobart with the awful news two sailors have lost their lives,” Mr Albanese said in a statement.

“Our thoughts are with the crews, their families and loved ones at this deeply sad time.”

Sixteen boats have retired from the event, including race favourite Master Lock Comanche, which has pulled out due to main sail damage. There are 88 yachts remaining in the fleet.

Yacht Club of Australia vice commodore David Jacobs shut down questions about “boat-breaking weather” during the race and said the Bureau of Meteorology provided briefings before the race and at launch.

“The forecast (from the Bureau) was strong winds to gale-force winds. These fleets can handle those winds easily,” he said.

They are ocean racers, they are used to the winds and they are not extreme questions.

The Bureau of Meteorology had a strong wind warning in place overnight, with wind speeds expected around 25–30 knots between Sydney and Ulladulla and waves about 2–3 metres high in some areas.

In the 79 editions of the Sydney to Hobart, 13 people have died.

The two fatalities are the first in the race in 26 years, since the disastrous 1998 event that saw six people die, five boats sink, and 55 sailors rescued by helicopter.

The tragedy triggered a NSW coronial inquest and mass reforms to the safety protocols that govern the race.