Marine authorities have assisted with the safe return of a vessel after retiring from the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race with a broken hull.
The NSW Police’s Force Marine Area Command plays an integral role in managing the welfare of the fleet of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, which includes shadowing the fleet through NSW waters and monitoring from the Marine Search and Rescue Operations Centre at Balmain.
Search and rescue experts from the Marine Area Command are also assisted throughout the operation by Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), Marine Rescue NSW and Surf Lifesaving Australia, as well as the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Canberra.
As a result of weather conditions, including three to four metre seas and 30-40 knot winds, a number of the 88 racing vessels retired from the race, many on the first night.
Some of these retirees required assistance from maritime authorities to safely return, including the ‘Denali’, which sustained a cracked hull while navigating seas 30 nautical miles off Shoalhaven.
Despite makeshift repairs to slow the ingress of water, the vessel was forced retire from the race and sought shelter at Port Kembla.
Marine Rescue NSW escorted the vessel to Sydney Heads yesterday (Wednesday 29 December 2021), where Police launch VIGILANT continued the escort safely into the Harbour.
With all vessels now out of NSW waters, the police operation in NSW has concluded.
