Businesswoman who died in Clipper Round The World Race will be buried at sea while her teammates complete the current leg 

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The British businesswoman who died after being swept overboard during the Clipper Round The World Race is to be buried at sea following medical advice, organisers announced today.

Sarah Young, 40, from London, was swept overboard as winds reached 50mph and her body later recovered from the Pacific, almost halfway between departure in China and arrival at Seattle, US.

The ship is not due to arrive in Seattle until at least April 15 and it would take more than a week to turn around and land in Japan, so health and safety advised that she be buried at sea.

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Sarah Young, pictured,  40, of London, died after being swept overboard during the Clipper Round the World yacht race

Miss Young, who ran a lifestyle advice company, was part of team Ichorcoal but was not tethered to the boat with a safety line when she fell overboard

Miss Young's parents are deceased and she has no siblings but organisers today said they had permissions from an elderly aunt in New Zealand. 

She is likely to be buried in the early hours on Sunday morning, and the crew will continue their journey to Seattle, after losing yet another team-mate.

Andrew Ashman, who was on the same Ichorcoal boat, was killed when he was hit by a sail last September, but the crew decided to carry on to pay tribute to their beloved friend.

A race spokesman told Mail Online: 'Because of the risk of decomposition and the health of the crew, we took the decision on medical advice to bury her at sea.

'Currently the crew are carrying on with their journey after talking to friends and family, who told them that they should continue in her memory, and a decision beyond that will be made in Seattle.

'We will respect their decision and provide counselling for them, and any support they need, whatever they decide to do.

'Last year, they tragically lost another member of the team but when they got back to shore in Portugalthey, they made the decision to carry on in his memory.

'Losing someone in such conditions is an incredibly difficult thing, so I imagine the crew will want to wait until they get to shore to decide what they are going to do.' 

The boats were in the Pacific Ocean on the leg of the race between China and Seattle in the US

The news comes after Sir Robin Knox-Johnston promised a full investigation into the tragedy after it emerged that Sarah Young, 40, was not tethered to the boat when she went overboard.

He insisted that safety was 'drummed into' sailors during intense training before they took part in the challenge and said he was 'frustrated' that Miss Young, from London, had died.

In a statement, organisers said: 'Following guidance from the doctor and our medical advisers and consultation with the Maritime Coastguard Agency, plus Sarah's partner, friends, family and the crew, we have decided to proceed with a burial at sea as soon as weather conditions permit, because of the long time it will take to reach closest landfall.'

The ceremony which will draw on centuries-old maritime traditions.

Organisers added: 'The yacht has been sent details of the burial at sea ceremony which has been used for centuries by mariners, along with some personal readings from her loved ones, and will advise the race office with at least two hours' notice when they are ready to proceed.

'We appreciate that this will be a difficult and emotional time for the crew, the entire fleet and the whole Clipper Race family. Our thoughts remain with them all and with Sarah's partner, family and friends at this difficult time.

'Sarah was much loved, and will be missed deeply by all who knew her. On behalf of her family and friends, they have asked us to request that they are now allowed to grieve and remember Sarah in peace.'

Miss Young was washed into the sea by a large wave as she tended to the mainsail aboard her 70ft IchorCoal vessel on Thursday, while traveling between China and Seattle, US. 

The yacht's skipper, Darren Lad, said Miss Young had been tidying the yacht's cockpit after reefing the mainsail when she was knocked overboard by a wave.

She fell backwards towards the guard rail and was carried away by another wave.

Miss Young, right, pictured on board the Ichorcoal yacht, was described as a 'popular and integral member' of the team

Miss Young, centre, had missed some of the racing in Australia earlier in the event after the death of her mother

Sir Robin said it was 'standard procedure' for the crew to be clipped on to the yacht and the fact that she wasn't ultimately cost Young her life.

He said: 'Sarah was a very intelligent lady, she had done all the training, sailed 25,000 miles at this point and she knew the rules.

'But we do not know the exact circumstances and it could have been in a split second that she was not clipped on that the wave hit.

'Unfortunately that split second is all it takes. It is very frustrating, this need not have happened. It is very sad that in a single moment this has cost Sarah her life. It is just tragic.'

Speaking to the BBC earlier, Sir Robin said: 'The only person who can tell us why she wasn't tethered is Sarah herself and of course she never will.

'We just don't know. We are all frustrated she wasn't tethered on - terribly sad we've lost her obviously, but just frustrated. Just not clipping on, takes about three seconds and it's cost her her life.'

Knox-Johnston said it took the crew around an hour to find Ms Young in the dark after she was 'flung' through the guard rail by the second of two large waves.

He told the broadcaster: 'And so then you've got the problem of trying to find her - of course it's night-time, 6ft waves, strong winds - not the easiest of tasks.

'And it took them about an hour to get back to her and I regret to say that by the time they did she was dead.'

Miss Young's body was eventually recovered using her AIS signal and although her crewmates attempted to resuscitate her, she did not regain consciousness.

The race covers 40,000 miles over eight stages and started in London last August, pictured

Friends of Miss Young, who was director of Bespoke Establishments which helps manage properties for wealthy clients, said they are 'heartbroken' at her tragic death.

Fellow IchorCoal crew member Elliotte Ashcroft wrote on Facebook: 'Thoughts and prayers and much love and support go out to the onboard crew, Daz, Sarahs family and all who knew this witty, ballsy, caring lady.'

Louise Thomas, a former teammate and close friend of Ms Young, said: 'My boat wife, my best buddy has been taken away from me today and I'm absolutely heartbroken and devastated.'

Peter Thornton, skipper of the GREAT Britain yacht, another of the competing vessels, said: 'Extremely sad news about Sarah and we are all quite shocked and suddenly acutely aware of where and what we are in this world.'

Last night, organisers of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race said in a statement: 'We are deeply saddened to report the death of crew member Sarah Young, a company owner from London.

'Sarah was one of the crew aboard the IchorCoal boat. Next of kin have been informed and all our thoughts are now with Sarah's family, teammates, and loved ones on and off the race.'

The spokesman added: 'Previously to the Clipper Race she had done other expeditions including spending a year in Sabah, northern Borneo, working for Raleigh Malaysia.  

'Sarah had also led teams in Zambia, Botswana and Namibia, had been mountaineering in Nepal and did a world-first 18 day trek down the Skeleton Coast unsupported. Sarah had also run a marathon and was a Divemaster. 

'She leaves a partner but no children. Sarah was one of the round the world crew, the victualler for her team, and aside from missing a couple of races in Australia due to the passing of her mother, she had sailed more than half the way round the world, with 20,000 nautical miles of racing under her belt London to China.

'A full investigation will now be carried out, as is standard practice, into the full details of the incident in cooperation with the appropriate authorities. 

'Race Officials are now supporting the Skipper and the crew through this tragic ordeal.' 

The tragedy happened on as her vessel was approaching the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean,

There were no other injuries. Her cause of death was not confirmed last night.

It is the second death in the competition's 19-year history after Andrew Ashman, pictured, 49, died after being hit by a sail last September

The yacht was travelling from China to Seattle in America, after departing Qingdao on the 6,600-mile leg on March 21.

They are expected to arrive in the US between April 15 and April 20. 

Last night organisers were deciding if the race could continue to its destination or be diverted.

To compete in the entire 2015/16 course has cost participants £45,200 for the whole eight legs. 

It is the second death of the current competition after Andrew Ashman was killed in September after being hit by a sail.

The experienced sailor, 49, was the first ever person to die in the race's 19-year history and was also in the Ichorcoal boat.

Mr Ashman, from Orpington, Kent, and his crew were about 120 nautical miles off the Portuguese coast, heading towards Rio De Janeiro in Brazil for the first leg of the race, when the tragic incident happened. 

As previously reported, Mr Ladd said Mr Ashman was involved in reefing the main sail in 30mph winds when he was knocked unconscious by the mainsheet - a rope connected to the boom - just after midnight local time. 

In a social media post before setting sail, Miss Young, a graduate of the University of Leeds, wrote: 'For my 40th year, I am taking to the seas - spending 11 months racing from London to Rio, on to Cape Town, Albany, Sydney, the Whitsunday Islands, Vietnam, Qingdao, Seattle, New York, Derry, and back to the UK.

'I am one of the core crew or 'Round The Worlders' on board the boat IchorCoal Supinda Rainbow Foundation, our South African sponsor.

'We will be bringing the 70' yachts up to St Katherine's Dock by Tower Bridge arriving around the 20th August, with our actual formal departure happening on Sunday 30th. 

'Do come and have a look at my new mobile home in this time if you'd like - I'm sure it will be a year of challenge and adventure.' 

This current leg takes crew across the Pacific Ocean from Qingdao, China, to Seattle, USA and has over 3,242 miles left to its destination.