Tycoon Mike Lynch's sunken superyacht raised towards surface ahead of final lift
PALERMO, Italy, June 20 (Reuters) - Salvage experts winched Mike Lynch's sunken superyacht towards the surface on Friday, 10 months after it went down off the coast of Sicily, killing the British tech tycoon, his teenage daughter and five others.
The vessel is scheduled to be lifted out of the water in the final phase of the recovery on Saturday, TMC Marine, the company leading the salvage operation, said.
"Accelerated progress in salvage works off the coast of northern Sicily mean that all preparations are now nearing completion, ahead of the delicate lifting procedure," the statement said.
The work was briefly halted last month after the death of a diver involved in the operation.
The 56-metre-long (184-foot) Bayesian was moored off the small port of Porticello, near Palermo, in August last year when it sank during a sudden storm.
The yacht was vulnerable to violent winds and was probably knocked over by gusts of more than 117 km (73 miles) per hour, an interim UK report said last month.
The recovery process has been made easier after the vessel's 72-metre mast was detached using a remote-controlled cutting tool and placed on the seabed on Tuesday.
The hull of the yacht has been supported by a specially designed steel wire lifting arrangement which is, in turn, attached to a floating lifting asset. The vessel is between two barges supplied by Hebo Maritimeservice, a Dutch specialist salvage company.
The salvage experts are now reinforcing the cables because the yacht will be heavier once pulled out of the water, a source at the Italian coast guard said.
The yacht is expected to be transported to the nearby port of Termini Imerese on Monday and handed over to the authorities who are investigating the tragedy.
Lynch's daughter Hannah, lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda, banker Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy, and chef Recaldo Thomas were killed when the yacht sank. Nine other crew members and six guests were rescued.
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North Wales Chronicle
39 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Mike Lynch's sunken yacht glimpsed above surface ahead of being fully raised
Seven people died when the Bayesian sank off the coast of the Italian island on August 19, including billionaire Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18. The 56-metre (184ft) yacht is set to be lifted to the surface near the fishing town of Porticello over the weekend before being taken to nearby Termini Imerese — where Italian prosecutors investigating the sinking are based. On Friday, parts of the accommodation areas above deck and the hull were seen above the surface as teams worked to install additional lifting straps before the yacht was lowered back under the waterline ahead of being fully raised at the weekend. Investigators in the UK and Italy say raising the vessel is crucial to fully understanding what happened. Last week, salvage teams expected the boat to be raised later in June, but thanks to 'accelerated progress', the timeline was brought forward. The yacht's 72-metre (236ft) mast was cut off on Tuesday using a remote-controlled tool and rested on the seabed to be picked up later. Over the last few days, salvage teams worked to ease the hull into an upright position and give access to the yacht's right side, which had previously been lying flat on the seabed 50 metres below the surface. The yacht is currently supported by strong steel straps attached to Hebo Lift 10 — one of Europe's most powerful sea cranes. If all goes to plan, sea water will be pumped out of the hull as the boat is raised to the surface before being carried to Termini Imerese on Monday, where it will be lifted onto a specially made steel cradle on the quayside. Marcus Cave of British firm TMC Marine, which is overseeing the salvage efforts, said: 'The salvage team has made very substantive progress in the last 10 days. 'They are now preparing for the final, complex and delicate lifting operation, to bring Bayesian to the surface and ultimately into port.' The vessel was originally expected to be raised last month but salvage efforts were delayed after a diver died during underwater work on May 9, prompting greater use of remote-controlled equipment. About 70 specialist personnel had been mobilised to the fishing village of Porticello from across Europe to work on the recovery operation, which began last month. Inquest proceedings in the UK are looking at the deaths of Mr Lynch and his daughter, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals. Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) investigators said in an interim report that the Bayesian was knocked over by 'extreme wind'. The yacht had a vulnerability to winds but the owner and crew would not have known, the report said. US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, and Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the vessel, also died in the sinking. Fifteen people, including Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued. Mr Lynch and his daughter were said to have lived in the vicinity of London and the Bloomers lived in Sevenoaks in Kent. The tycoon founded software giant Autonomy in 1996 and was cleared in June last year of carrying out a massive fraud over the sale of the firm to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011. The boat trip was a celebration of his acquittal in the case in the US.
Leader Live
41 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Mike Lynch's sunken yacht glimpsed above surface ahead of being fully raised
Seven people died when the Bayesian sank off the coast of the Italian island on August 19, including billionaire Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18. The 56-metre (184ft) yacht is set to be lifted to the surface near the fishing town of Porticello over the weekend before being taken to nearby Termini Imerese — where Italian prosecutors investigating the sinking are based. On Friday, parts of the accommodation areas above deck and the hull were seen above the surface as teams worked to install additional lifting straps before the yacht was lowered back under the waterline ahead of being fully raised at the weekend. Investigators in the UK and Italy say raising the vessel is crucial to fully understanding what happened. Last week, salvage teams expected the boat to be raised later in June, but thanks to 'accelerated progress', the timeline was brought forward. The yacht's 72-metre (236ft) mast was cut off on Tuesday using a remote-controlled tool and rested on the seabed to be picked up later. Over the last few days, salvage teams worked to ease the hull into an upright position and give access to the yacht's right side, which had previously been lying flat on the seabed 50 metres below the surface. The yacht is currently supported by strong steel straps attached to Hebo Lift 10 — one of Europe's most powerful sea cranes. If all goes to plan, sea water will be pumped out of the hull as the boat is raised to the surface before being carried to Termini Imerese on Monday, where it will be lifted onto a specially made steel cradle on the quayside. Marcus Cave of British firm TMC Marine, which is overseeing the salvage efforts, said: 'The salvage team has made very substantive progress in the last 10 days. 'They are now preparing for the final, complex and delicate lifting operation, to bring Bayesian to the surface and ultimately into port.' The vessel was originally expected to be raised last month but salvage efforts were delayed after a diver died during underwater work on May 9, prompting greater use of remote-controlled equipment. About 70 specialist personnel had been mobilised to the fishing village of Porticello from across Europe to work on the recovery operation, which began last month. Inquest proceedings in the UK are looking at the deaths of Mr Lynch and his daughter, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals. Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) investigators said in an interim report that the Bayesian was knocked over by 'extreme wind'. The yacht had a vulnerability to winds but the owner and crew would not have known, the report said. US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, and Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the vessel, also died in the sinking. Fifteen people, including Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued. Mr Lynch and his daughter were said to have lived in the vicinity of London and the Bloomers lived in Sevenoaks in Kent. The tycoon founded software giant Autonomy in 1996 and was cleared in June last year of carrying out a massive fraud over the sale of the firm to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011. The boat trip was a celebration of his acquittal in the case in the US.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Mike Lynch's sunken yacht glimpsed above surface ahead of being fully raised
Tech tycoon Mike Lynch's sunken superyacht has been glimpsed above water ahead of being fully raised from the seabed off the coast of Sicily. Seven people died when the Bayesian sank off the coast of the Italian island on August 19, including billionaire Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18. The 56-metre (184ft) yacht is set to be lifted to the surface near the fishing town of Porticello over the weekend before being taken to nearby Termini Imerese — where Italian prosecutors investigating the sinking are based. On Friday, parts of the accommodation areas above deck and the hull were seen above the surface as teams worked to install additional lifting straps before the yacht was lowered back under the waterline ahead of being fully raised at the weekend. Investigators in the UK and Italy say raising the vessel is crucial to fully understanding what happened. Last week, salvage teams expected the boat to be raised later in June, but thanks to 'accelerated progress', the timeline was brought forward. The yacht's 72-metre (236ft) mast was cut off on Tuesday using a remote-controlled tool and rested on the seabed to be picked up later. Over the last few days, salvage teams worked to ease the hull into an upright position and give access to the yacht's right side, which had previously been lying flat on the seabed 50 metres below the surface. The yacht is currently supported by strong steel straps attached to Hebo Lift 10 — one of Europe's most powerful sea cranes. If all goes to plan, sea water will be pumped out of the hull as the boat is raised to the surface before being carried to Termini Imerese on Monday, where it will be lifted onto a specially made steel cradle on the quayside. Marcus Cave of British firm TMC Marine, which is overseeing the salvage efforts, said: 'The salvage team has made very substantive progress in the last 10 days. 'They are now preparing for the final, complex and delicate lifting operation, to bring Bayesian to the surface and ultimately into port.' The vessel was originally expected to be raised last month but salvage efforts were delayed after a diver died during underwater work on May 9, prompting greater use of remote-controlled equipment. About 70 specialist personnel had been mobilised to the fishing village of Porticello from across Europe to work on the recovery operation, which began last month. Inquest proceedings in the UK are looking at the deaths of Mr Lynch and his daughter, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals. Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) investigators said in an interim report that the Bayesian was knocked over by 'extreme wind'. The yacht had a vulnerability to winds but the owner and crew would not have known, the report said. US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, and Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the vessel, also died in the sinking. Fifteen people, including Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued. Mr Lynch and his daughter were said to have lived in the vicinity of London and the Bloomers lived in Sevenoaks in Kent. The tycoon founded software giant Autonomy in 1996 and was cleared in June last year of carrying out a massive fraud over the sale of the firm to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011. The boat trip was a celebration of his acquittal in the case in the US.
