SYDNEY: An Australian schoolgirl bidding to become the youngest solo round-the-world sailor was asleep and tracking the wrong vessel when she hit a giant cargo ship during a test run, an inquiry found on Tuesday.

Jessica Watson, 16, left Sydney on her non-stop voyage on Sunday aboard her bright pink 10-meter (33-foot) yacht "Ella's Pink Lady" amid concerns that she was too young to attempt the dangerous voyage.

The journey was almost scuttled by her head-on collision on Sep 9 with the 63,800-tonne bulk coal carrier Silver Yang off the coast of Queensland, just hours into a trial run to Sydney.