Fed: Yacht race rescue mission gives way to inquiries

AAP General News (Australia)
12-30-1998
Fed: Yacht race rescue mission gives way to inquiries

CANBERRA, Dec 30 AAP - The mass rescue operation mounted for the Sydney to Hobart yacht
race disaster will now give way to a series of inquiries to find out what went wrong and, if
possible, how to prevent it happening again.

Taking precedence will be coronial inquests for all the victims at times and venues to be
announced.

So far four crewmen are confirmed dead and two are missing, presumed dead.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which exercised overall coordination of
the search and rescue mission, is also expected to conduct an internal inquiry to assess its
own performance and decide if any improvements are warranted.

The principal race organiser, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), will also
conduct its own far-reaching inquiry, examining all aspects of the way the race was conducted
with the objective of improving safety standards in Australia's blue water classic.

CYCA Commodore Hugo van Kretschmar said the inquiry would be chaired by Peter Bush, the
club's immediate past commodore, veteran of 14 Sydney to Hobart races and who commanded the
CYCA's situation room throughout the dramatic two days.

Mr Bush was now drawing up terms of reference for the review, which would go to the CYCA's
board and be made public.

Although Mr Bush's appointment had the appearance of the club investigating itself, Mr van
Kretschmar said independent experts would also be consulted including AMSA, the Bureau of
Meteorology and British authorities who inquired into the 1979 Fastnet race in which 15 died.

In both cases the problems arose from the weather turning suddenly and unexpectedly worse.

Mr van Kretschmar said the inquiry would look at aspects such as the quality of the life
rafts and the design of yachts, although that was not expected to be a major issue since
modern and elderly vessels both suffered equally in the treacherous conditions.

He said there did appear to be a case for more frequent and comprehensive weather reports.

AAP mb/it/de

KEYWORD: SYDHOB DAYLEAD

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