A Kent sailor's death was probably caused by a rope attached to a sail boom swinging wildly in rough seas, an inquest heard.

Paramedic Andrew Ashman, of Orpington, suffered a fatal neck injury while taking part in the year-long 40,000-mile Clipper Round the World Yacht Race in 2015.

An inquest this week heard he was either hit by the rope or thrown off balance landing heavily when he stepped into a 'danger zone' as the crew struggled to control the yacht in 40mph winds at night.

The sail and boom was swinging wildly across the deck as the 49-year-old was "reefing" the main sail — making it smaller to try and slow the yacht down — and was knocked unconscious in the process.

He was four days into the race and was aboard the IchorCoal when tragedy struck 122 nautical miles off the coast of Portugal.

He was the first of two to die in the 19-year history of the race with a fellow crew member who gave him first aid dying seven months later.

"It's not possible to establish for certain how the fatal injury to the neck occurred." — Senior Coroner Dr Andrew Harris

Mr Ashman and his crew were heading from London to Rio De Janeiro in Brazil for the first leg of the race when the incident happened just before midnight on September 4, 2015.

He was given immediate medical assistance but failed to regain consciousness despite resuscitation attempts by another crew member, Sarah Young.

Amateur sailor Ms Young died after being knocked overboard by a huge freak wave during a different stage of the eight-leg of the competition in April 2016.

The 40-year-old's body was recovered, but crewmates were unable to revive her and she was buried at sea.

Southwark Coroner's Court heard Mr Ashman stepped into a danger zone before being knocked unconscious.

A report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) into Mr Ashman's death handed to the jury stated that "during uncontrolled gybes, when the boat changes direction sharply, the deceased sustained a fatal neck injury".

Investigator Captain Emma Tiller told the court Mr Ashman told a fellow crew member as he took over the helm the boat was "bouncy" minutes before the accident.

Senior Coroner Dr Andrew Harris said the key issues were the decision to reduce sail in the wind conditions, the entry by the deceased into the 'danger zone' on deck, the experience of the deceased sailor and his training for ocean racing and the use of rope during the accident.

He told the jury: "The yacht was heading into the wind, a strong wind, several crews were required to hold down the sail.

"They were relatively inexperienced crews.

"A danger zone which the boom can travel across meant the area was a risk of being unsafe during accidental gybes as it can potentially move from side to side - left to right.

"The danger zone wasn't marked out on the deck but crews' training made clear it's an area to be avoided.

"Andrew Ashman took over as the watch leader at 10pm, it was dark, the crew were wearing head torches and life jackets.

"He commented the yacht seemed 'a bit lively'.

"At 11.07pm The the yacht was travelling at 32 knots (42mph) the crew we're finding it increasingly difficult to control the vessel and it kept veering off course.

"The decision was taken to reef the mainsail.

"The boom swung rapidly across the deck from port to starboard and a crew member shouted 'down down'.

"There was another gybe and the boom went back to port after the helmsman was unable to regain control of the yacht.

"The helmsman noticed Andrew Ashman lying motionless on the cockpit deck."

He added: "There are three possibilities for causing the injuries, first struck by the boom.

"MAIB statistics show it's not uncommon to be struck by the boom during accidental gybes.

"However the boom was rigged at such a height above the cockpit of two metres, Andrew Ashman was 1.7 metres tall so it is considered unlikely he was struck by the boom.

"Stuck by the mainsail as in the danger zone there is the potential for the mainsheet to pass across the area during a gybe or pass from port to star aboard and swing across the deck.

"It's not possible to establish for certain how the fatal injury to the neck occurred" - senior coroner Dr Andrew Harris

"The third possibility is the motion of the vessel immediately before the accident caused him to fall.

"It's not possible to establish for certain how the fatal injury to the neck occurred.

"It is most likely caused from being struck by a rope or by the motion of the vessel, causing him to fall and have a heavy impact with the starboard deck."

Mr Ashman and his team were in the middle of the first of 14 mini races as part of the world's longest ocean race.

The court heard he had experience of sailing and was a respected paramedic in the Hazadous Area Response Team (HART).

There will be another inquest into the death of Sarah Young, who would have been called as a witness into the death of Mr Ashman, at a later date.

The inquest continues.