
Bayesian Superyacht Is Raised From Bottom of Mediterranean
The hull of the Bayesian superyacht breached the surface of the Mediterranean Sea on Friday as cranes pulled it up from the seabed off Sicily, where it had lain since it sank last August, killing seven people.
As a portion of the dark-blue hull of the yacht, which belonged to the British tech mogul Michael Lynch, was raised from the waters, it carried with it the hope of providing answers to a mysterious tragedy.
Italian investigators are still trying to find out what caused the sinking of the $40 million superyacht — which its makers had deemed 'unsinkable' — during a storm 10 months ago, while a converted tugboat anchored in the same cove weathered the gale just fine.
The mystery has compounded the grief of the family and friends of the seven people who perished: Mr. Lynch; his teenage daughter, Hannah; four of Mr. Lynch's friends, including a prominent lawyer and his wife; and the sailboat's cook.
Theories and accusations have proliferated since the sinking. The company that owns the yacht's builder accused the crew of making a chain of fatal errors. A preliminary investigation by British maritime authorities found that the boat had likely been knocked over by an intense gust of wind and noted that the Bayesian's signature feature, a gigantic single mast that was one of the tallest in the world, increased the vulnerability of the boat to capsizing in high winds. The New York Times published findings similar to those of the British authorities last year in its investigation of the accident.
The hull, inside which six of the seven bodies of the victims were previously found, the deck and some of the boat's vents and railings became visible for a few hours for the first time in months on Friday. Steel straps attached to maritime cranes pulled it from more than 50 yards below the surface of the sea, where it had lain on its starboard side.
TMC Marine, the company organizing the recovery of the vessel, said that the boat's aluminum mast had been removed on Tuesday. On Saturday, the boat is set to be fully brought to the surface and out of the water, with seawater pumped out of the hull, TMC Marine said in a statement.
The authorities had established a strict security perimeter in the air and sea around the work site during the vessel's recovery, TMC Marine said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CBS News
3 hours ago
- CBS News
Car driving down Spanish Steps in Rome caught on video by hotel worker
A man in his 80s was caught on video driving a compact luxury Mercedes-Benz A Class sedan down the landmark Spanish Steps in Rome before getting stuck partway down. A video taken by a hotel worker from a window shows the car slowly making its way down the steps early on Tuesday. The peculiar sight happened so early that the lampposts on the steps were still illuminated and crowds hadn't yet flocked to the popular 18th-century site in the Italian capital. The man tested negative for alcohol and was cited on the spot for driving down the monument in Rome's historic center, municipal police said in a statement. Police said the man, a resident of Rome, was at a loss to explain how he had wound up driving down the famed steps. The man, who emerged from the vehicle wearing a suit and tie, told the police that he thought he was going to work. They did not release his name and it was unclear if the car was his. The small sporty car was later removed by firefighters using a crane. A car that was driven by mistake down the Spanish Steps in Rome on June 17, 2025, is lifted from the landmark in a picture Italian firefighters posted to social media. Vigili del Fuoco On Thursday, police said the man's driver's license and other documents were in order, but they are now studying the case to determine whether his license should be removed. They did not indicate if he will be fined. Experts from the Ministry of Culture are examining the historic steps to see if the vehicle caused any damage and will send a report to the police. An image made available June 19, 2025, by the Italian firefighters shows a car that was driven by mistake by a man down the Spanish Steps in Rome early on June 17, 2025. Vigili del Fuoco via AP The Spanish Steps, one of Rome's most recognizable monuments, have never been intended for motor vehicles, although some thrill-seekers have tried their luck. A Saudi man was charged with aggravated damage to cultural heritage after a surveillance camera recorded him driving a rented Maserati down the 135 travertine steps in 2022. The Spanish Steps take their name from the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See in the nearby square. A famed background for numerous films, they were built in the 1720s and have long been a popular spot to people-watch and hang out.


New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
Bayesian Superyacht Is Raised From Bottom of Mediterranean
The hull of the Bayesian superyacht breached the surface of the Mediterranean Sea on Friday as cranes pulled it up from the seabed off Sicily, where it had lain since it sank last August, killing seven people. As a portion of the dark-blue hull of the yacht, which belonged to the British tech mogul Michael Lynch, was raised from the waters, it carried with it the hope of providing answers to a mysterious tragedy. Italian investigators are still trying to find out what caused the sinking of the $40 million superyacht — which its makers had deemed 'unsinkable' — during a storm 10 months ago, while a converted tugboat anchored in the same cove weathered the gale just fine. The mystery has compounded the grief of the family and friends of the seven people who perished: Mr. Lynch; his teenage daughter, Hannah; four of Mr. Lynch's friends, including a prominent lawyer and his wife; and the sailboat's cook. Theories and accusations have proliferated since the sinking. The company that owns the yacht's builder accused the crew of making a chain of fatal errors. A preliminary investigation by British maritime authorities found that the boat had likely been knocked over by an intense gust of wind and noted that the Bayesian's signature feature, a gigantic single mast that was one of the tallest in the world, increased the vulnerability of the boat to capsizing in high winds. The New York Times published findings similar to those of the British authorities last year in its investigation of the accident. The hull, inside which six of the seven bodies of the victims were previously found, the deck and some of the boat's vents and railings became visible for a few hours for the first time in months on Friday. Steel straps attached to maritime cranes pulled it from more than 50 yards below the surface of the sea, where it had lain on its starboard side. TMC Marine, the company organizing the recovery of the vessel, said that the boat's aluminum mast had been removed on Tuesday. On Saturday, the boat is set to be fully brought to the surface and out of the water, with seawater pumped out of the hull, TMC Marine said in a statement. The authorities had established a strict security perimeter in the air and sea around the work site during the vessel's recovery, TMC Marine said.

5 hours ago
Superyacht resurfaces for 1st time since August sinking ahead of recovery
ROME -- The British superyacht that sank off Sicily last August killing seven people resurfaced for the first time Friday as salvage recovery crews readied it to be hauled ashore for further investigation. The white top and blue hull of the 56-meter (184-foot) Bayesian emerged from the depths of the sea in a holding area of a yellow floating crane barge. The coast guard said the actual recovery was scheduled to begin Saturday morning. A spokesman for TMC Maritime, which is conducting the recovery operation, said the vessel has been slowly raised from the seabed, 50 meters (165-feet) down, over the past three days to allow the steel lifting straps, slings and harnesses to be secured under the keel. What became visible for the first time Friday on the surface of the water was the top of the passenger area of the Bayesian where passengers would sit, known as the accommodation area, said a spokesman for TMC Maritime, David Wilson. The British-flagged luxury superyacht sank Aug. 19 off Porticello near Palermo during a violent storm, killing U.K. tech magnate Mike Lynch, his daughter and five others. Fifteen people survived, including the captain and all crew members except the chef. Italian authorities are conducting a full criminal investigation. When it resurfaced, the Bayesian was missing its 72-meter (236-foot) mast, which was cut down and left on the seabed for future removal. The mast had to be detached to allow the hull to be brought to a nearly upright position that would allow the craft to be surfaced, TMC Maritime said earlier this week. British investigators said in an interim report issued last month that the yacht was knocked over by 'extreme wind' and couldn't recover. The report stated that the Bayesian had chosen the site where it sank as shelter from forecast thunderstorms. Wind speeds exceeded 70 knots (81 mph) at the time of the sinking and 'violently' knocked the vessel over to a 90-degree angle in under 15 seconds.