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Fourteen rescued as yacht in annual Sydney to Hobart race sinks

Other News Materials 27 December 2008 00:47 (UTC +04:00)

All 14 crew members of a yacht taking part in the 1,165-kilometre Sydney to Hobart race were rescued when it sank about six hours after the start, news reports said Saturday, dpa reported.

The 16-metre Georgia sent out a mayday call after it began taking on water when its rudder snapped off near Ulladulla, New South Wales, on Friday night.

Race spokesman Gary Linacre told ABC Radio that the crew were rescued by another yacht competing in the race, Merit, and were being taken to shore in a police rescue launch.

A total of 100 yachts are competing in the 64th annual race, one of the biggest ocean competitive events in the Southern Hemisphere.

The conditions and the distance make the race unpredictable. Six people died 10 years ago when the fleet was hit by a major storm and only 44 of the 115 maxi yachts competing made it to Hobart, capital of Tasmania.

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