Inquisitors began hearing evidence regarding the six deaths in the 1998 Sydney-Hobart Race on Monday, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Among the witnesses was Brett Gage, the duty weatherman at the Bureau of Meteorology, who related to the panel of inquisitors how he had revised the forecast for the race an hour after the start, changing it from a gale to a storm warning. The latter is the Bureau?s most severe alert. Gage said he was so concerned that he phoned the Race?s Media Center as well as the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and the Eden Coastal Patrol.

This inquest will examine a number of issues, particularly why sailors were allowed to head into one of the most devastating storms in decades. The panel will also examine why the yacht Business Post Naiad was allowed to race when it did not meet the required stability standards, and whether or not the Winston Churchill was in seaworthy condition. The hearing is expected to take several weeks.