Two people have died in separate incidents during the famed Sydney to Hobart yacht race overnight. Police were notified shortly before midnight on Thursday by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority in Canberra that a crew member onboard a yacht had been struck by a sail boom.

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 Sydney to Hobart yacht race has suffered a double tragedy after two sailors died in separate incidents. New South Wales Police say a crew member of one Sydney to Hobart entry was struck by a sail boom just before midnight.