British business owner and sailor Sarah Young has died in the Pacific Ocean after she was swept overboard by a wave during the Clipper Round Race. Skipper Darren Ladd reports that Sarah was tidying the cockpit after reefing the mainsail in 35 – 40 knots of wind, when she was knocked from her position by a wave. She fell back toward the guard wire and was swept under it by another wave at 1127 UTC/2227 local time. She was not tethered onto the yacht at this time and was swept away in strong winds.
The boat immediately applied its man overboard drill but was hampered by the conditions and lack of direct visual. Her body was recovered on board using her AIS signal at 1244 UTC/2344 local time, and although resuscitation was attempted and telephone assistance provided by the Praxes Medical Group Doctors, the Clipper Race’s remote telemedicine support service, she never regained consciousness.
The cause of death is yet to be confirmed but is suspected as drowning or exposure. All other crew are reported safe and well and the team are working with Race Officials to evaluate the options on diversion or continuing to Seattle. Sarah was the owner of a personal lifestyle company providing services for private high net worth individuals. A keen adventurer, the Clipper Race had been an ambition of hers for some years, and she said celebrating her 40th birthday just before setting sail from London was the perfect way to start her adventure.
Closed Captions (CC):
I'm James valise British business owner
and sailor Sara Young has died in the
Pacific Ocean after she was swept
overboard by a wave during the clip
around the world yacht race that
according to organizers she was 40 years
old and from London the incident
happened on Friday during the races
sixth stage when Young was tidying the
cockpit of the boat and was knocked from
her position by a wave causing her to
fall backwards towards the guard wire
before a second wave swept her
underneath the wire and into the ocean
her body was recovered on board and
although resuscitation was attempted she
never regained consciousness according
to officials while a cause of death has
not yet been determined youngest
believed to have died from drowning or
exposure all other crew members on board
the vessel ebon reported safe and well
and the team is considering whether to
divert or to continue on to Seattle
according to organizers young was the
owner of a personal lifestyle company in
London that provides services for high
net worth individuals the
round-the-world yacht race had been an
ambition of hers for some years and she
had celebrated her 40th birthday just
before setting sail from London Young
had sailed more than half the way around
the world with 20,000 nautical miles of
racing under her belt between London and
China where the yacht left on March the
21st she had earlier missed several
races in Australia due to the death of
her mother for the very latest stay with
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