yachts retired from sydney to hobart

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‘Devastated’: Man overboard, more boats out of Sydney to Hobart

A total of nine vessels have been forced to retire from the Sydney to Hobart with one skipper revealing a “devastating” update.

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Nine casulties have now struck the Sydney to Hobart fleet.

It was announced on Wednesday morning two more yachts had been forced to retire as the fleet made its way along the NSW south coast.

Scallywag was the first big casualty of the race after the Hong Kong-based sailing team’s bow sprit — which carries the yachts biggest sails — broke just hours into the race.

Scallywag had been the early leader and was in a fight with Andoo Comanche and LawConnect before it was forced to abandon its campaign.

Two more vessels were forced to retire in the early hours of Wednesday morning with Sticky and Maritimo 52 pulling out.

Sticky was forced to pull out with electrical damage, while Maritimo 52 had damage to rigging.

Small yacht Rum Rebellion was hit by a burst of water between Cronulla and Wollongong sending the boat on its side.

Shane Connelly was taken overboard and was a few metres from the boat but was able to swim back to it.

“We are both well and the main thing is our systems and drills all worked well,’’ he told News Corp.

As first reported by News Corp , Arcadia on Tuesday returned to Sydney with a torn mainsail and Rum Rebellion also turned back due to an unspecified reason.

Reigning champions Andoo Comanche and LawConnect are continuing to battle for line honours as they head towards Bass Straight.

Tuesday’s retirement was a gut-punch for the Scallywag crew which had already declared the 2023 Sydney to Hobart would be its last.

News Corp reported skipper David Witt and his crew were “devastated”. The vessel has returned safely back to Sydney.

The team earlier confirmed their sad news via its social media channels.

SHK Scallywag 100 has retired from the 2023 Sydney Hobart with a broken bow sprit. The team are obviously very disappointed given the great progress we were making but thankful no one was injured & that we could safely recover. The team are making their way back to Sydney. pic.twitter.com/fuFApS3DvT — Sun Hung Kai Scallywag (@scallywaghk) December 26, 2023

The five retirements mean there are 98 entries remaining of the 103-yacht fleet that sell sail from Sydney.

Scallywag was also involved in early drama when rival Andoo Comanche flew a protest flag alleging SHK Scallywag had tacked too close as the pair exited Sydney Harbour.

Scallywag subsequently performed a 720 penalty turn to exonerate the vessel from facing a potential disqualification.

The race tracks the eastern coast of Australia southward from Sydney, crossing the Bass Strait, before continuing along the eastern coast of Tasmania and finally reaching Hobart.

Widely considered one of the most challenging yacht races in the world, teams competing in this year’s event — the 78th edition — also risk facing thunderstorms, hail and gale-force winds through the race.

The Bureau of Meteorology, whose representatives briefed the competitors ahead of the race, said there was a high degree of uncertainty for the forecasts over coming days.

With the Bass Strait crossing often the hardest part of the race, teams can expect a larger southwest swell and strong winds.

“This year there is easterly winds and easterly swell forecast, as well as thunderstorms, which will make conditions challenging on Tuesday and Wednesday. These conditions are forecast to ease from later Wednesday,” the bureau said.

Some 113 vessels will be competing in this year’s event.

The record for the race was set in 2017 by LDV Comanche, a 100ft maxi yacht, which completed the event in just over 33 hours.

RETIREMENTS IN THE 2023 SYDNEY TO HOBART

Arcadia – Retired – mainsail damage

Currawong (TH) – Retired – electrical issues

Maritimo 52 – Retired – rigging damage

Pacman (TH) – Retired – runner damage

Rum Rebellion (TH) – Retired – minor injury

SHK Scallywag – Retired – broken bowsprit

Sticky – Retired – electrical damage

Georgia Express – rigging issues

Millennium Falcon - Retired - crew illness

Tumbleweed (TH) - Retired - crew illness

Luna Blue - Retired - damaged equipment

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Several yachts including line honours favourite Scallywag forced to retire from Sydney-Hobart race amid stormy conditions

Disaster has struck this year’s Sydney to Hobart yacht race with several boats forced to retire after spending the night sailing through challenging conditions. 

At least six yachts have been forced to retire from 2023’s Sydney to Hobart race after enduring a night of heavy rain and severe thunderstorms.

After boats emerged from the Sydney Heads riding on a large swell and light winds on Tuesday afternoon, the weather quickly turned foul thanks to a low-pressure system pushing eastward. 

Crews sailed through vicious storm cells and relentless rain as they picked up speed and hurtled down the New South Wales coastline towards the Bass Strait. 

Line honours contender Scallywag was one of the first yachts to retire when the bow sprit, a key anchor point for the mast, snapped in half at about 7pm on Tuesday. 

Shortly after it was announced the Sydney yacht Arcadia had a torn mainsail and would be heading home along with Rum Rebellion, who also pulled out for an unknown reason. 

At about 6am on Wednesday, two more casualties were confirmed. 

Queensland yacht Maritimo 52 sustained extensive damage to the headsail and the mainsail which was unable to be fixed en route to Hobart despite the crews' best efforts. 

"The fitting on the deck for the forestay shredded, which ripped the No. 4 headsail and the mainsail. We tried to work a million ways around it, but we would have been sailing at 50 per cent. We are shattered," crewman Peter Jones said, as reported by the Courier Mail .

"The weather (was) shocking overnight. We had as much lightning as I’ve ever seen.

"The south-west front came through, we saw high 20s to early 30s (knots) and had solid rain for three hours."

Maritimo 52 was also joined the yacht Sticky which had to retire due to electrical damage and one of the smallest boats in the race, Currawong, pulled out for an unspecified reason at about 8am. 

As of 10am on Wednesday, LawConnect held the lead over Andoo Comanche by just one nautical mile. 

The two boats are sailing close to Gabo Island off the coast of Victoria. 

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LawConnect’s all-time comeback to win Sydney-Hobart line honours in second-closest finish ever

LawConnect has claimed line honours in the 78th Sydney to Hobart with a stunning comeback, hunting down Andoo Comanche on the River Derwent to steal victory in one of the closest-ever finishes.

LawConnect – the perennial bridesmaid of the race – claimed a maiden victory by just 51 seconds, coming home in just over one day and 19 hours.

The two supermaxis had traded the lead in a back-and-forth battle throughout the trip down to Tasmania.

But it was Andoo Comanche who led from around midday Wednesday all the way to the River Derwent – only for the reigning champions’ lead to evaporate amid the notorious light winds on the home stretch.

LawConnect stalked down the leaders and took the lead at around 7.55am before briefly losing it again minutes later, with the two yachts separated by just metres as they desperately sought out any pocket of wind in the crawl to the finish line.

In the end, LawConnect came home in 8:03:58 — just 51 seconds before Comanche’s 8:04:49. It was the second-closest finish in race history behind 1982, when Condor of Bermuda beat Apollo by a mere seven seconds.

LawConnect owner Christian Beck finished as runner-up for the past three years, but brilliantly navigated the final stage of the 628nm race to pip reigning champion and favourite Andoo Comanche.

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Andoo Comanche had also won in 2019 (as Comanche), 2017 (as LDV Comanche) and 2015 (as Comanche).

But this was a first-ever win for LawConnect under skipper Beck, and came against the odds after a sail was destroyed on the first night of the race.

The same boat had won as Perpetual Loyal under skipper Anthony Bell in 2016, the year before Beck bought her.

Beck had told Channel 7 an hour before the finish: “We’re sort of happy at the moment because Comanche looks very slow up there … we’re in with a good chance still.

“The Derwent is notorious for having these dead spots you get stuck in.”

He added: “You can watch where they go, and if they go slow, we go somewhere else.

“We’ve come second three times in a row, so we really want to win.”

But there could be a potential protest, with a spectator craft appearing to impede Andoo Comanche in the final seconds of the race.

The catamaran cut in front of Andoo Comanche as it prepared for its final jibe.

The ABC reports that eyewitnesses heard Andoo Comanche sailors yelling at the catamaran to get out of the way.

No protest has yet been lodged, and vision appears to show Andoo Comanche marginally behind her rival at the time.

Meanwhile, URM Group, Alive, and Moneypenny are battling for third place, but are still some hours from the finish.

Many of the smaller boats are not likely to finish for another day or two.

Follow live updates below and check out the live tracker here .

6AM THURSDAY — OVERNIGHT UPDATE

There haven’t been any reports of more retirements from the second night of the race with a thrilling finish still looming between Andoo Comanche and LawConnect.

The number of retirements from this year’s race sits at 11 following carnage across the first day-and-a-half.

Andoo Comanche narrowly led over LawConnect as the two yachts went past Port Arthur.

Meanwhile, LawConnect’s Tony Mutter described the drama on the first night when his yacht lost a main sail in the wild weather.

“The first day went okay through the daylight hours, and when nighttime came all hell broke loose because there was plenty on,” he said.

10:20PM WEDNESDAY - BIG FINISH LOOMS... AND CHAOS BEHIND

Either Andoo Comanche or LawConnect will claim line honours in the Sydney to Hobart on Thursday morning, and they’ve avoided the worst of the weather which is about to hit the rest of the race.

As of 10:20pm AEDT on Wednesday night Andoo Comanche was 108.7 nautical miles from glory, holding a steady lead of 6-7nm to LawConnect, with URM Group third but a whopping 91.4nm from the leader.

The problems are with the rest of the fleet, with only a handful of boats having actually cleared Bass Strait so far.

“There could easily be 30 retirements by tomorrow night,’’ meteorologist Roger Badham told News Corp late on Wednesday .

“There’s far worse to come for them. It’s not a nice place to be, Bass Strait tomorrow (Thursday). It just gets increasingly bad all day.’’

12PM WEDNESDAY - MAN OVERBOARD AS RETIREMENTS MOUNT

Currawong has been forced to retire from the race — becoming its sixth casualty — while one of the retirees has opened up about a scary ‘man overboard’ incident.

The Daily Telegraph reports that it’s still unknown why Currawong, the smallest yacht in the fleet, was on the way back to Sydney on Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Shane Connelly from Rum Rebellion, which was one of the first retirements, spoke about the “burst of wind” that ruined their race on Boxing Day.

Connelly was briefly unclipped and was thrown from the boat, which was knocked on its side by the burst.

He was reportedly sent about two metres from the boat but was able to swim back before retiring.

“We are both well and the main thing is our systems and drills all worked well,’’ he said.

6.15AM WEDNESDAY - OVERNIGHT RETIREMENTS

Two yachts retired on the first night of the Sydney to Hobart with Sticky and Maritimo 52 pulling out.

It was a night led by Andoo Comanche and LawConnect with the frontrunners making it through fast overnight conditions unscathed.

Andoo Comanche was slightly ahead of LawConnect as they approached the Bass Strait.

Meanwhile, Sticky was forced to pull out with electrical damage, while Maritimo 52 had damage to rigging.

They join Scallywag, Rum Rebellion and Arcadia as the race’s retirements.

8:30PM TUESDAY - EARLY LEADER OUT IN DISASTER

Scallywag is out of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race after the bow sprit broke while the early leader was in a three-way fight for glory with Andoo Comanche and LawConnect.

News Corp reported skipper David Witt had declared their race over in what was to be their final chance at line honours.

The yacht was involved in the early drama when it performed two 360 penalty turns after an altercation with Andoo Comanche.

Arcadia (torn mainsail) and Rum Rebellion are also out of the race.

At the time of the incident Scallywag was within a couple of nautical miles of the leaders.

At 8:30pm AEDT it was Andoo Comanche travelling at 27.3 knots sitting 498.7nm away from the finish, seven nautical miles ahead of LawConnect - and just five behind LDV Comanche’s 2017 race record.

5:30PM TUESDAY - WEATHER FEARS AS LEADERS PULL AWAY

There are hopes intense weather will be avoided as leader Andoo Comanche, LawConnect and Scallywag made it a race in three at the front.

With the top boats hitting over 25 knots winds have clearly picked up.

The Bureau of Meteorology, whose representatives briefed the competitors ahead of the race, said there was a high degree of uncertainty for the forecasts over coming days.

“A trough and low pressure system over eastern Australia is slowly moving to the southeast and will reach the Tasman Sea later today or tomorrow,” a bureau spokesperson said.

“Uncertainty remains about its exact placement. Weather, wind and wave forecasts will depend on the location of this system.”

At the start of the race, competitors were set for light easterly winds, the bureau said, with the chance of a shower or thunderstorm.

“Thunderstorm potential increases during the afternoon along the NSW coast and over Sydney – with very erratic winds, hail, lightning and heavy rain reducing visibility possible,” the bureau said.

“Strong wind warnings are likely during the race, and there is a slight risk of local gale-force winds over the Bass Strait on Tuesday night.”

2PM TUESDAY - DRAMATIC START INCLUDING PROTEST

LawConnect, the Big Boat Challenge winners, took the early honours to lead early from Teasing Machine, Andoo Comanche and Wild Thing after a heavy downpour in Sydney Harbour cleared for the 1pm starter’s cannon.

LawConnect then had trouble putting up its big sail forcing it to jibe away from the lead handing the ascendancy to Andoo Comanche, who is defending line honours.

The lead swapped again shortly after but not before an explosive moment between Scallywag and Andoo Comanche.

Dramatic vision showed the two boats coming within a few feet of each other with the latter claiming their rival tacked too late, prompting Andoo Comanche to throw a protest flag.

ABC reported ‘colourful language’ was exchanged between the two boats.

Andoo Comanche Sailing Master Iain Murray was not impressed with the incident when asked about it on Seven’s coverage.

“It’s a classic port-and-starboard (incident). That’s too close (from Scallywag),” he said.

“You can’t do that with 100-footers. We’ll see.”

The controversy allowed Scallywag to sail clear into first place and be first out of the Heads, ahead of Andoo Comanche in second and LawConnect in third.

Earlier the Bureau of Meteorology predicted that potentially dangerous weather could mar this year’s Sydney to Hobart race, which gets underway on Boxing Day.

Rain, strong winds, low visibility and even hail is expected to hit parts of the course, including the Bass Strait crossing, due to a rain-bearing low pressure system impacting the southeast.

Competitors have been advised to prepare for changing conditions throughout the event, with plenty of upwind sailing and winds coming from different directions.

The fleet left the dock at the CYCA well ahead of the 1pm race start with sailors nervous for what lay ahead.

“You’d think after so many races you wouldn’t be nervous but you are,’’ Alive navigator Adrienne Cahalan said.,

“This forecast is a tough one. It will be like a chess game.’’

During Sunday’s briefing, a race official warned participants that they “strongly recommended to take your sea sick tablets in your grab bag’’.

HK Scallywag skipper David Witt declared: “Pack another set of thermal gear. It’ll be cold.”

The 78th edition of the 1163km race, one of Australia’s most famous sporting events, began the day with a fleet of 103.

The course record was set by LDV Comanche in 2017, completing the race in 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds. Last year’s winners Comanche, who is tipped as one of the favourite this year’s race finished in one day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds, the second-fastest time for any Sydney to Hobart victors.

Scallywag had been the early leader and was in a fight with Andoo Comanche and LawConnect before it was forced to abandon its campaign.

Two more vessels were forced to retire in the early hours of Wednesday morning with Sticky and Maritimo 52 pulling out.

Sticky was forced to pull out with electrical damage, while Maritimo 52 had damage to rigging.

As first reported by News Corp , Arcadia on Tuesday returned to Sydney with a torn mainsail and Rum Rebellion also turned back due to an unspecified reason.

Reigning champions Andoo Comanche and LawConnect are continuing to battle for line honours as they head towards Bass Straight.

Tuesday’s retirement was a gut-punch for the Scallywag crew which had already declared the 2023 Sydney to Hobart would be its last.

News Corp reported skipper David Witt and his crew were “devastated”. The vessel has returned safely back to Sydney.

The team earlier confirmed their sad news via its social media channels.

The five retirements mean there are 98 entries remaining of the 103-yacht fleet that sell sail from Sydney.

Scallywag was also involved in early drama when rival Andoo Comanche flew a protest flag alleging SHK Scallywag had tacked too close as the pair exited Sydney Harbour.

Scallywag subsequently performed a 720 penalty turn to exonerate the vessel from facing a potential disqualification.

The race tracks the eastern coast of Australia southward from Sydney, crossing the Bass Strait, before continuing along the eastern coast of Tasmania and finally reaching Hobart.

Widely considered one of the most challenging yacht races in the world, teams competing in this year’s event — the 78th edition — also risk facing thunderstorms, hail and gale-force winds through the race.

With the Bass Strait crossing often the hardest part of the race, teams can expect a larger southwest swell and strong winds.

“This year there is easterly winds and easterly swell forecast, as well as thunderstorms, which will make conditions challenging on Tuesday and Wednesday. These conditions are forecast to ease from later Wednesday,” the bureau said.

Some 113 vessels will be competing in this year’s event.

The record for the race was set in 2017 by LDV Comanche, a 100ft maxi yacht, which completed the event in just over 33 hours.

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Sydney to Hobart yacht race: Andoo Comanche pulls ahead in challenging conditions

A s defending champion Andoo Comanche and fellow supermaxi LawConnect battle it out for line honours in this year's Sydney to Hobart yacht race, organisers are anticipating a tight finish.

The pair are expected to sail up the River Derwent this morning.

"They are watching each other very, very carefully," Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Commodore Arthur Lane said. 

"Each is tweaking and doing all the little adjustments needed and they know each other's boats so well. 

"So yes, they'll be very, very close [at the finish]. At this stage. I think it's anyone's race."

URM Group was in third position, 114 nautical miles from the leader, with Moneypenny and Alive slightly further back. 

Mr Lane said there was little chance the race record of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds would be attained. 

"In 2017, when the record was broken, that Comanche was just 100 miles away [from the finish], so they've got a long way to go," he said. 

"It's going to be quite a challenge to actually get to that record."

Daylight finish predicted

Southerly winds would likely bring the leading boats swiftly up the River Derwent early on Thursday, Mr Lane said. 

"Last year [the winning boat finished] about 2:30, 3:00 o'clock in the morning," he said.

"I think we will see the sunrise before they get in [this year], but that's just my own opinion on it."

A total of 11 yachts had retired from the race as of Wednesday afternoon. 

Mr Lane said weather conditions had been challenging and somewhat unpredictable along the south-east coast of Australia's mainland and in the Bass Strait. 

"There's certainly a lot of unease out there. There's all kinds of conditions happening," he said.

In addition to strong winds generated by a low-pressure system, he said squally weather from electrical storms was particularly difficult to handle.  

"When they hit, they actually change the wind from the direction it's going and for a few minutes when that storm hits, the actual cell hits, it can come from any direction.

"So particularly at night, you think you have a south-east breeze but suddenly it can be coming from the north for a couple of minutes or go to the east. 

"It swirls around and it's so unpredictable and really causes quite a lot of concern if you're on a boat."

The boats that have retired so far include Arcadia, Currawong, Maritimo 52, Pacman, Sticky, Rum Rebellion, Georgia Express, Luna Blue and supermaxi SHK Scallywag. 

Seasickness has also taken a toll on Millennium Falcon and Tumbleweed. 

'Bruised and sore'

The skipper of two-hander Rum Rebellion, Shane Connelly, was sent overboard at 6:00pm on Boxing Day — off the coast between Cronulla and Wollongong — after the yacht was hit by sudden strong winds.

The boat was knocked down, but Mr Connelly was able to tether onto it, the boat was righted, and he was lifted back on board.

Mr Connelly and teammate Tony Sutton retired from the race due to concerns that Mr Connelly could have a concussion. They were safe and well upon their return to port.

Mr Lane said he had spoken with Mr Connelly earlier on Wednesday. 

"He's bruised, he's sore, but he said everything they'd practised [for] and everything onboard the boat in terms of requirements and everything just worked perfectly.

"So they are very happy about the fact that all their practice … worked and it was a great relief they could get back aboard the boat."

Antipodes crew member Geoff Cropley said they had to compete with regular lightning strikes and major wind changes.

"The spinnaker got wrapped in the drop, along with spinnaker staysail. All the team was up and trying to untwist and get that down. It took us about 40 minutes," he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, LawConnect's skipper said it had become a "battle for survival" as competitors faced stormy conditions.

Christian Beck told ABC News Breakfast that one of their sails had ripped but the two leaders were able to make their way out of a storm cell.

"It's a bit of a battle for survival to the finish now," he said.

Controversial start to 78th edition of iconic race

The annual race was off to a controversial start on Boxing Day, with a close call between supermaxis SHK Scallywag and Andoo Comanche.

The latter lodged an official protest after there was a near-collision, claiming SHK Scallywag should have tacked (changed direction) sooner.

After the harbour drama, things slowed right down as boats manoeuvred out of the harbour and around the heads in search of a speedy wind but were left wanting.

The leaders in the field of 103 yachts slowly left Sydney behind at a speed of 8-11 knots, compared to the upwards of 20 knots they can sometimes have.

When the crucial decision of whether to hug the coast or head further out to sea in search of a wind had to be made, the leaders — LawConnect, Andoo Comanche and SHK Scallywag — left the coast and things picked up from there.

The first yacht to cross the finish line at Hobart's River Derwent will win line honours and the JH Illingworth Challenge Cup.

The current Line Honours record was set in 2017 by LDV Comanche with 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds — finishing on the evening of December 27 — but the yachts were still trailing that record on the first day.

The biggest and fastest supermaxi class yachts will be the first to finish the race, with many of the smaller boats much further behind.

It can be days until all of the more than 100 yachts reach Hobart or retire from the race.

The main prize is the prestigious Tattersalls Cup, which goes to the overall winner when adjusted for handicaps — adjustments in time based on things such as weight and length of the boat.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

SHK Scallywag First Of Three Early Casualties From 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart

• 26 Dec, 2023 07:15:00 PM

Seng Huang Lee’s 100ft SHK Scallywag from Hong Kong, has become the first casualty of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, breaking her bow sprit early this evening Sydney time.

SHK Scallywag , skippered by David Witt, had recently undergone modifications and with some well-known crew added, seemed to be in great shape, but it was not to be. Without the bow sprit, flying spinnakers is impossible.

A short time later, Peter Davison’s Archambault 40 RC, Arcadia from Victoria, along with the two-handed entry of Shane Connolly/Tony Sutton on the J/99, Rum Rebellion , also reported they had retired from the 78th running of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s 628 nautical mile race.

Arcadia has retired with a torn mainsail, but no reason has been given at this stage for Rum Rebellion from Sydney.

This leaves 100 boats racing, including 17 two-handed entries.

Just before 5pm this evening, both Christian Beck’s LawConnect and the John Winning Jnr skippered Andoo Comanche , reported they were sailing on a comfortable sea in nice 16-18 knot winds.

Ty Oxley reported from LawConnect : “We are neck-and-neck with Andoo and reaching at 20 knots in 18-20 knots of breeze. Wind is up and down on a comfortable sea.”

Sam Fay said from Andoo Comanche : “We are doing 26 knots and have just overtaken LawConnect .”

The three boats had been having a tight tussle until SHK Scallywag’s retirement.

Grant Wharington’s 100ft Wild Thing 100 , with her shorter rig, is 13 nautical miles behind LawConnect at 7.30pm.

Written by Di Pearson/RSHYR Media

Congratulations to all the divisional winners of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

PHOTOS | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Official Prizegiving

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PHOTOS | Day 5 and Day 6 finishers

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2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - A Race for the Ages

VIDEO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - Rolex Daily Video Summary

VIDEO | Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

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VIDEO | Race Update - 31 December Morning

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 10

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Full Standings available approximately three hours after the start.

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Shop the official clothing range of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

From casual to technical clothing, there is something for all occasions. Be quick as stock is limited!

Australian among three UN observers wounded while patrolling Lebanon border

An Australian is among three United Nations observers and an interpreter who have been injured while patrolling Lebanon's southern border with Israel.

The UN peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL, as well as unarmed technical observers known as UNTSO, are stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel, known as the Blue Line.

Andrea Teneti, a spokesperson for the United Nations' peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, confirmed to the ABC that the four were injured when an explosion occurred nearby and had been evacuated for medical treatment.

Mr Teneti said one of the military observers was Australian, and that they were now in a stable condition.

"We are investigating the origin of the explosion," he said.

"The targeting of peacekeepers is unacceptable.

"We repeat our call for all actors to cease the current heavy exchanges of fire before more people are unnecessarily hurt."

Lebanese armed group Hezbollah has been trading fire with the Israeli military across the Blue Line since October in parallel with the war in Gaza.

Lebanese media, citing security officials, reported an Israeli drone strike targeted the observers in the southern village of Wadi Katmoun near the border town of Rmeich on Saturday.

The Israeli military has denied striking a UN vehicle in the area.

"Contrary to the reports, the IDF did not strike a UNIFIL vehicle in the area of Rmeich this morning," the Israeli military said in a statement.

Rmeich mayor Milad Alam told Reuters he heard a blast.

"Then [we] saw a UNIFIL car zipping by. The foreign observers were taken to hospitals in Tyre and Beirut by helicopter and car," he said.

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned what he called was the "targeting" of UN staff.

Hezbollah-run television station Al-Manar said the drone strike injured three workers from Australia, Chile and Norway, as well as a Lebanese interpreter.

The ABC has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

On Friday Israel carried out its deadliest strikes in months on northern Syria's Aleppo province and said it killed a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon.

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