Five Bodies from Wrecked Superyacht Retrieved, Search Continues for One Missing Passenger

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Divers searching the wreckage of a superyacht that sank off the coast of Sicily have found the bodies of five of the six missing passengers. The tragic discovery comes after days of intense search efforts following the sinking of the yacht, known as the Bayesian, on Monday. The yacht was carrying 22 people when it capsized and sank in freak weather conditions.

 

The Italian Coastguard has not yet formally identified the bodies recovered from the wreck, but the search has focused on locating four Britons and two Americans who were aboard the yacht. Among those missing are Mike Lynch, the UK tech entrepreneur whose wife owns the Bayesian yacht, his daughter Hannah Lynch, Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of Morgan Stanley Bank International, and his wife Judy Bloomer. The first two bodies were brought ashore at Porticello harbor on Wednesday afternoon, with two more bodies recovered later that evening before the search was paused as night fell. The search for the remaining missing passenger continues.

 

 

The Bayesian sank in the early hours of Monday, about 700 meters off the coast of Sicily. It is believed that the vessel was struck by a waterspout—a tornado over the water—which caused it to capsize and sink to a depth of 50 meters (164 feet) on the seabed. The violent weather event caught the yacht and its passengers by surprise, leading to the tragic incident that has now claimed multiple lives.

 

Throughout Wednesday, a steady stream of boats ferried divers to and from the search site as the recovery operation continued. The small quayside at Porticello was lined with emergency services personnel as the bodies of the missing were returned to shore. One body bag was seen being placed in the back of an ambulance before the sound of sirens filled the harbor as the vehicle, escorted by two police cars, departed from the port.

 

Italian authorities have not yet identified the recovered bodies, despite media reports speculating on the identities of the victims. This delay is likely due to the ongoing search for the remaining passenger, as well as the legal requirement in Italy for the deceased to be formally identified by a family member or someone close to the victims before the deaths can be officially certified.

 

Salvatore Cocina, the head of Sicily's civil protection agency, emphasized that while an investigation into the incident would take place, the immediate priority was to locate everyone who was on board the Bayesian vessel. The yacht, which was 56 meters long and flying a British flag, was carrying 10 crew members and 12 passengers when it sank. Of the 22 people on board, 15 survived, including a British mother who described holding her baby girl above the surface of the sea to save her from drowning.

 

The first body to be recovered from the wreck was that of the yacht's chef, Recaldo Thomas, a Canadian-Antiguan national. His body was found on Monday, shortly after the incident. Gareth Williams, a friend of Mr. Thomas, spoke to the BBC, sharing that he had known the chef for 30 years as they had grown up together in Antigua, where Mr. Thomas lived during yachting’s off-season.

 

The passengers aboard the Bayesian were guests of Mike Lynch, the founder of the software giant Autonomy. The group was reportedly on the yacht to celebrate Lynch's acquittal in a massive U.S. fraud case. In June, Lynch was acquitted of multiple fraud charges related to the $11 billion (£8.6 billion) sale of Autonomy to U.S. computing giant Hewlett-Packard in 2011.

 

In addition to the recovery efforts, inspections of the yacht's internal hull were conducted on Wednesday morning. A team of four British inspectors from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) arrived in Sicily to assist with the investigation. The depth of the wreckage has posed significant challenges to the rescue teams, as the yacht is lying on its side at the bottom of the seabed, with its access points blocked by debris.

 

Italian rescue services have reported that the team of specialist divers has been hampered by these difficult conditions. The wreck is located at a depth where ambient light is minimal, making the situation even more perilous for the divers. Professional diver Andy Goddard, speaking before the bodies were recovered, described the conditions as "pretty dark," with limited visibility and debris floating around, creating an environment akin to being in a washing machine. "It's really dangerous for the diver," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

 

As the search continues for the final missing passenger, the tragedy has cast a somber shadow over the region. The investigation into the cause of the accident is expected to take time, with authorities focusing on ensuring that all those affected by the disaster are accounted for. The loss of life has been deeply felt by those who knew the victims and by the wider community, as the full impact of this maritime tragedy becomes apparent.

 

Credit: BBC  2024-08-22

 

 

 

 

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