In a devastating maritime disaster off the coast of Sicily, five bodies have been recovered from the sunken wreck of the “Bayesian,” a 56-meter (184-foot) superyacht owned by the wife of British tech magnate Mike Lynch. The yacht, flying a British flag, was anchored off the port of Porticello when it was struck by a fierce pre-dawn storm on Monday. Among the deceased, two of the victims are believed to be Lynch, 59, and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, according to reports from Britain’s Daily Telegraph. However, local authorities in Sicily have yet to confirm their identities.
Luxurious Voyage Turns Deadly
Lynch, one of the UK’s most prominent tech entrepreneurs, had organized the voyage to celebrate his recent acquittal in a high-profile fraud trial in the United States. He invited friends and colleagues to join him on the yacht, but the celebratory atmosphere turned tragic when a violent storm, possibly a waterspout, hit the vessel in the early hours of Monday morning.
Read More: Luxury yacht sinks off Sicilian coast
Security footage from a nearby villa captured the moment the yacht was battered by the storm before capsizing within seconds. The ship, built in 2008 and last refitted in 2020, was noted for having the world’s tallest aluminum mast, measuring 72 meters (236 feet). Despite its advanced design and safety features, the yacht sank quickly, leaving many onboard unable to escape.
Difficult Rescue Operations
Of the 22 people aboard, 15 managed to escape before the yacht capsized. The body of Canadian-Antiguan chef Recaldo Thomas was found near the wreck hours after the disaster. The remaining six individuals, including Lynch, his daughter, and four others, were initially reported missing. Over the next two days, specialist rescuers worked tirelessly to locate the victims within the sunken vessel, which lies on its side at a depth of around 50 meters (approximately 164 feet).
The rescue operation has been challenging due to the difficult conditions inside the wreck. Divers have only been able to stay inside the vessel for 8-10 minutes at a time before resurfacing, complicating efforts to retrieve the bodies trapped in cabins. The Coast Guard has deployed a remotely operated vehicle to scan the seabed and capture underwater images, aiding prosecutors in their investigation of the disaster.
Questions Remain Unanswered
The cause of the rapid sinking remains a mystery. Experts are puzzled by how such a large, modern yacht could sink so quickly, especially given that a nearby vessel weathered the same storm without incident. Matthew Schanck, chair of the Maritime Search and Rescue Council, described the event as a “black swan” occurrence—a rare and unpredictable phenomenon. He suggested that the yacht may have been struck by a waterspout, a type of tornado that forms over water, which could explain the sudden and catastrophic nature of the sinking.
Read More: Djibouti boat capsize claims at least 21 lives
The United Kingdom’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has announced that it will send a team of four inspectors to Palermo to conduct a preliminary assessment of the scene. Meanwhile, Italian authorities continue to investigate, questioning survivors, including the Bayesian’s captain, and witnesses from nearby yachts.