Crew members died after being hit by the ship's bulk in separate incidents, organizers say.
Two sailors have been killed within hours of each other in Australia's famous sailing race.
The crew died after they were hit by a mast, a horizontal structure that holds up sails, in separate incidents on the first night of the annual race from Sydney to Hobart, the race's organizer said on Friday.
The deceased sailors have been identified as Roy Quaden, 55, from Western Australia and Nick Smith, 65, from South Australia.
The boats Flying Fish Arctos and Bowline were sailing 56 kilometers off the coast of New South Wales when the incident happened, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia said.
Efforts by crew to revive the two sailors were unsuccessful, the club said.
New South Wales' director of marine affairs, Joseph McNulty, told reporters that police believe the people were hit by the waves while crew members were changing sails.
“Snails are moving, sails are moving, bombs are moving. It's changing the ability of boats at sea. So maybe this has contributed to the death of these people today,” he said.
“Both groups are struggling at the moment. They are frustrated by what they saw and what they had to do.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among those who offered condolences to the families of the two men.
“Sydney to Hobart is an Australian tradition, and it's sad that two lives have been lost during what should have been an exciting time,” Albanese said in a post on X.
“We are sending our love and deepest condolences to their families, friends and loved ones.”
The annual Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, established in 1945, is recognized as one of the most challenging and prestigious yacht races in the world.
The 630 nautical-mile race has claimed 13 lives in its nearly 80-year history, including six sailors killed in a storm during the 1998 event.