A man and a woman have been killed and 16 others rescued after a yacht struck rocks off Port Kembla early this morning.
The 18m yacht was racing in an event from Sydney to Flinders Island when it ran aground on the island about 3am.
A 46-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman were pulled from the ocean unconscious and could not be revived, a NSW Ambulance spokesperson said.
UPDATE: Yacht crash victims namedWater police pulled one man from the water alive, while fifteen others managed to make their way to Flinders Island.
Among the injured was a 10-year-old boy who suffered burns to his hand.
The survivors were winched from the island onto a rescue helicopter and flown to Wollongong Hospital suffering from minor cuts, bruises and hypothermia.
Other yachts believed to be competing in the race joined emergency services in the dramatic three-hour rescue effort.
NSW Police Superintendent Mark Hutchings told Sky News the accident involved an 18m racing yacht.
"With the assistance of other yachts in the race police recovered two bodies from the water," Supt Hutchings said.
Detectives are investigating the cause of the accident.
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