Why would a jammed mainsheet mean they could not STEER away? We are obliged to take any action to avoid loss of life. Anything they risked by not bearing away is trumped by avoiding a collision. One, minor, wrong move for a crewman could mean death in even a slow speed collision. The impact of two vessels weighing tons will crush whatever comes between them.Turns out their mainsheet jammed and they could not bear away.
Racers tend to push the rules with predictable outcome.