2006 Sydney to Hobart

The Snowy Hydro SouthCare Helicopter was also involved in the dramatic 1998 Sydney to Hobart rescueIt was the early hours of 27 December 2006 and the sailors of the Maximus vessel were working around the clock to battle rough weather conditions and finish the 2006 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. The Maximus had won second place the year before and was in the lead for the 2006 race. Unfortunately, the weather had put a lot more pressure on the vessel than the crew had realized and at around 3am that morning, the ship's 40-metre mast gave way to the pounding forces of the sea. The crack of the mast sent the rig crashing down on the deck injuring five sailors aboard the vessel.

Approximately 20km from Batemans Bay, the remaining crew took immediate action to ensure the injured were properly cared for until first light, when the Snowy Hydro SouthCare Helicopter could winch the sailors to safety. At that time, the men were taken to the Moruya and Batemans Bay Hospitals for medical treatment.

The New Zealand yacht returned to Sydney Harbour the following day, with the remaining crew both devastated by the mast failure and gratefully happy to be safe. Crew member Ian Treleavan sustained a large cut on his head when the mast fell, but felt retiring from the race hurt more than his bruised and bandaged head. Ian says, "We're very disappointed because it was our race…that is the most disappointing thing and it wasn't as if we hadn't prepared. We put a lot of effort into the boat and it's probably one of the best crews I've ever sailed with. It was just bloody bad luck."