Divers Recover 5 Bodies From Sunken Luxury Yacht Off Sicily, 1 Still Missing

Italian divers have recovered five bodies from the wreckage of a luxury yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily on August 21, 2024. The search for one missing crew is still underway.

The Italian fire department reported that the bodies were brought ashore for formal identification.

Among the victims are the renowned British software magnate Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter. However, the identities of the bodies have not been revealed by the authorities. The only confirmed identifications so far are Jonathan Bloomer, a Morgan Stanley banker and Chris Morvillo, a U.S. lawyer.

The British-flagged yacht Bayesian was hit by a severe storm early on August 19, 2024, while it was docked off Porticello.

The yacht, anchored about a kilometre (half a mile) offshore, sank immediately after being struck by what appeared to be a waterspout.

The Bayesian, a 56-meter (184-foot) yacht built by Italian shipyard Perini Navi in 2008 and renovated in 2020, was outfitted with state-of-the-art features.

The yacht was equipped with the world’s tallest aluminium mast of 246 foot (75 meters), and was one of the world’s largest sailing yachts.

Fifteen people escaped the sinking yacht, including Lynch’s wife, while the body of Recaldo Thomas, the onboard chef from Antigua, was recovered shortly after the incident.

Proseguono le ricerche dei 6 dispersi del naufragio dello yacht Bayesian da parte dei sommozzatori #GuardiaCostiera con il personale speleo sub dei @vigilidelfuoco coordinati dalla Guardia Costiera di Palermo. Impiegati 8 sub GC con l’ausilio di un veicolo a controllo remoto ROV pic.twitter.com/EHDY1PyJ9g

— Guardia Costiera (@guardiacostiera) August 20, 2024

Video Credits: Guardia Costiera/X

The wreck, lying on its side at a depth of about 165 feet (50 meters), has been difficult to access.

Due to the dangerous conditions, including low visibility and decompression risks, divers have been restricted to brief explorations of 8-10 minutes.

Despite these challenges, rescue operations have shifted from search to recovery.

The Italian Coast Guard has deployed a high-performance, remotely operated vehicle that can operate up to 300 meters of depth, scanning the seabed and capturing visuals of the wreck site to assist in the ongoing investigation.

Investigators from the Termini Imerese Public Prosecutor’s Office are investigating the evidence, but no suspects have been found. Initial reports indicate that human error may have led to the tragic accident, with Italian Sea Group head Giovanni Costantino stating that the yacht took on water for about four minutes before capsizing.

The ship’s captain, James Cutfield, survived the catastrophe and is recognized as a skilful sailor. Meanwhile, despite a strong storm, the nearby sailboat Sir Robert Baden Powell sustained minor damage and was also able to rescue the survivors.

The investigation will continue to determine the precise cause of the incident.

Reference: AP, Reuters

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