List of fatal accidents in sailboat racing

Last updated

Oceanic yacht racing is one of the most dangerous sports in the world. [1] It was particularly dangerous in the early days when oceanic racing was more like early mountain climbing in terms of sense of adventure and achievement. Modern safety and communication equipment has improved safety however like any sport in natural environment risk is always present. In many races, participants have changed from explorer to professional athlete.

Contents

Deaths during crewed round the world races and record attempts

Race NameDateNamePlaceBoatDescription
Whitbread / Volvo Ocean Race 1973Paul Waterhouse,
Dominique Guillet
and Bernie Hosking
Southern Ocean Tauranga,
33 Export,
Great Britain II (respectively)
Each swept overboard
(Hosking twice) [2] [3]
Whitbread / Volvo Ocean Race 1989Tony PhillipsSouthern OceanCreighton NaturallySwept overboard and recovered too late
Volvo Ocean Race 18 May 2006Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Hans Horrevoets  (NED)Off Land's End Flag of the United Kingdom.svg ABN Amro Volvo 70 Washed overboard and recovered
Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 5 Sep 2015Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Andrew Ashman  (GBR) [4] IchorCoal / Clipper 70Head Injury Boom/Mainsheet
Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 1 April 2016Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Sarah Young  (GBR) [5] IchorCoal / Clipper 70Swept overboard
Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 18 Nov 2017Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Simon Speirs  (GBR) [6] Great Britain / Clipper 70Swept overboard
Volvo Ocean Race 26 Mar 2018Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Fisher (GBR) [7] Southern OceanTeam Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag Volvo Ocean 65 Swept overboard

Deaths during solo round the worlds races and record attempts

Race NameDateNamePlaceBoatDescription
BOC Challenge 1986Flag of France.svg  Jacques de Roux  (FRA)Southern OceanSkoiern IV
Vendée Globe 1992Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Nigel Burgess  (GBR)Atlantic OceanNigel Burgess Yachts
Vendée Globe 1992Flag of the United States.svg  Mike Plant  (USA)Atlantic OceanCoyoteLost at sea prior to departure
Vendée Globe 1997Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Gerry Roufs  (CAN)Southern OceanGroupe LG 2

Deaths during offshore racing

Race NameHost ClubDateNamePlaceBoatDescriptionRef.
1976 OSTAR Royal Western Yacht Club Mike Flanagan (USA)GALLOPING GAEL38 ft Monohull Sailor and Boat Lost at Sea [8]
1976 OSTAR Royal Western Yacht Club Mike McMullenThree Cheers
1978 Route du Rhum 16 November 1978, Alain Colas AzoresManurevaUnknown
1979 Fastnet race Royal Ocean Racing Club 15 SailorsFlag placeholder.svg
1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Cruising Yacht Club of Australia 27 December 1998Phillip Charles Skeggs
Bruce Raymond Guy
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Business Post Naiaddrowned
heart attack
28 December 1998John Dean,
James Lawler
and Michael Bannister
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Winston Churchillall drowned
28 December 1998Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Glyn Charles  (GBR) Flag of Australia (converted).svg Sword of Orion
Doublehanded Farallones Race27 March 1999Flag of the United States.svg Harvey Shlasky (USA), 51, of Berkeley, California Flag of the United States.svg White Lightning, J/29, [9] [10]
Transat Jacques Vabre 21 October 1999Flag of France.svg Paul Vatine (FRA), 42, Le Harve Flag of France.svg ORMA 60Boat Capsized Paul was ondeck and lost other crew member was below deck [11]
Doublehanded Lightship RaceIsland Yacht Club of Alameda16 March 2008Flag of the United States.svg Matthew Gale (USA), 68, Mill Valley, California
Flag of the United States.svg Anthony Harrow (USA), 72, Larkspur, California
Flag of the United States.svg Daisy, Cheoy Lee Offshore 31 [12]
Cowes-Cherbourg RaceRoyal Ocean Racing ClubJune 2011Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Chris Reddish (GBR), 46 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Lion, Reflex 38 [13]
Chicago-Mackinac Race Chicago Yacht Club July 2011Flag of the United States.svg Mark Morley (USA), 51
Flag of the United States.svg Suzanne Bickel (USA), 410
Flag of the United States.svg Wingnuts, Kiwi 35head injuries and drowning during capsize [14]
Farallones RaceSan Francisco Yacht Club14 April 2012Flag of the United States.svg Alexis Busch (USA) of Larkspur
Flag of the United States.svg Jordan Fromm (USA) of Kentfield
Flag of the United States.svg Alan Cahill (USA) of Tiburon
Flag of Ireland.svg Elmer Morrissey (IRL)
Flag of the United States.svg Marc Kasanin (USA)
Flag of the United States.svg Low Speed Chase, Sydney 38 [15] [16]
Calif. to Ensenada, Mexico yacht race.28 April 2012Flag of the United States.svg Kevin Eric Rudolph (USA), 53, of Manhattan Beach, Calif.,

Flag of the United States.svg William Reed Johnson Jr. (USA), 57, of Torrance, Calif.,
Flag of the United States.svg Joseph Lester Stewart (USA), 64, Bradenton, Fla.

Flag of the United States.svg Aegean, Hunter 376 [17] [18]
Islands RaceNewport Harbor and San Diego Yacht Club9 March 2013Flag of the United States.svg Craig Thomas Williams (USA), 36, California
Flag of the United States.svg Uncontrollable Urge, Columbia 32 Carbon [19] [20]
Chicago-Mackinac RaceChicago Yacht ClubJuly 2018Flag of the United States.svg Jon Santarelli (USA), 53 Flag of the United States.svg Imedi, TP52overboard resulting from wave strike [21]

Deaths during yacht races

Race NameHost ClubDateNamePlaceBoatDescriptionRef.
Big Boat SeriesSt. Francis Yacht Club18 September 1994Flag of the United States.svg Larry Klein (USA), 42, San Diego Flag of the United States.svg San FranciscoTwin Flyer, 38 foot sloop [22]
2007Flag of the United States.svg  Bruce Goldsmith  (USA), 71J/29Boom head injury
America's Cup TestingGolden Gate Yacht Club9 May 2013Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Andrew Simpson  (GBR) Flag of the United States.svg San Francisco Artemis Racing, AC72, Boat 1Entrapped after the boat broke apart and capsized.
Antigua Superyacht8 March 2022Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Sam Richmond  (GBR), 38102 ft S/Y FarfallaTraining Incident with rigging failure causing a head Injury [23] [24]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ocean Race</span> Yacht race around the world

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torben Grael</span> Brazilian sailor

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References

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  2. "Volvo Ocean Race 1973-1974"
    (Note that this source has a typo which misspells Bernie Hosking's name as "Hocking" in the Leg3 tab. Spelled properly in the Leg1 tab.)
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  24. "Home". yachtfarfalla.com.