Latest news with #Canadian-Antiguan
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Family of chef who died on Bayesian yacht hits out at crew
The family of a chef who died when the British superyacht Bayesian capsized off the coast of Sicily have criticised the crew's response to the violent storm that struck the vessel. Recaldo Thomas, 59, the Canadian-Antiguan cook on the yacht owned by British tech billionaire Mike Lynch, was one of seven people who lost their lives in the tragedy in summer 2024. His family said on Thursday that they had profound concerns about 'a series of failures', including alleged weaknesses in the design of the yacht and the way in which the crew responded to a storm that barrelled over the area on the night of Aug 18 2024. 'They have serious concerns about a series of failures evidently involved in the causes of this tragedy – failures in the design, safety certification and seaworthiness of the Bayesian, as well as the management by some of the crew to deal with a forecast mesocyclone storm,' lawyer James Healy-Pratt said on behalf of the family of Mr Thomas. He said the family noted that Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, 'was up on deck when a number of questionable decisions were being carried out by some of the crew'. They did not expand on specific actions that may or may not have been taken. 'The family note that the Bayesian was an outlier in design with a single mast structure, longer than the wingspan of a jumbo jet, that acted like an aerofoil in the storm conditions,' he added. Some naval architects have said the mast was too heavy and tall for the vessel and that it rendered the boat inherently unstable. The Italian company that built it has rejected those criticisms. The yacht was anchored half a mile off the small Sicilian town of Porticello when it was hit by a freak storm of almost tornado intensity. Amid 70-knot winds and lashing rain, the 184ft-long Bayesian, which boasted a huge, 236ft mast, capsized in 16 minutes. A preliminary investigation by Britain's Marine Accident Investigation Branch, released on Thursday, concluded that the vessel was struck by a 'mesocyclonic storm front' which demonstrated the properties of 'a significant supercell with associated downdrafts and possible near-surface winds in excess of 100 miles per hour (87 knots).' The MAIB commissioned the Met Office to study the weather conditions on the night the huge yacht sank. The Met Office found that 'a mesocyclonic storm was highly likely with an associated supercell being probable.' The Met Office also concluded that 'tornadic waterspouts and downdrafts were possible where local winds could reach extreme hurricane force well in excess of 64 knots.' The hurricane force winds were strong enough to tip the Bayesian over, investigators said. The captain and crew would have had no inkling of its vulnerabilities because they were not documented in the vessel's stability information booklet which sets out a vessel's physical limits, the MAIB report said. After reading the report, Mr Thomas's family said they believed his death was 'preventable'. Mr Healy-Pratt said: 'They know that further evidence and analysis is required in areas including downflooding and seamanship, and they await the final MAIB safety report and its inevitable list of safety recommendations. The Thomas family are firmly resolute in their journey for truth, very public justice and preventing future tragedies.' A multinational operation to raise the wreck of the Bayesian from the seabed resumed on Thursday. It had been suspended last week after the death of a Dutch diver while working underwater. A consortium is now engaged in 'preparatory activities' to recover the yacht from a depth of around 150ft. The yacht is expected to be raised and brought to shore later in May. Aside from Mr Thomas, the victims of the disaster were Mike Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18, Jonathan Bloomer, 70, Morgan Stanley International bank chairman, his wife Judy Bloomer, 71, and American lawyer Chris Morvillo, 59, and his wife Neda Morvillo, 57. Fifteen people survived the sinking, including James Cutfield, 51, the New Zealand skipper. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
North Wales Chronicle
15-05-2025
- North Wales Chronicle
Family of chef who died on Mike Lynch's superyacht have ‘concerns' after report
It comes after Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) investigators said in an interim report that the 56-metre (184ft) Bayesian was knocked over by 'extreme wind' off the coast of Sicily on August 19 last year. The yacht had a vulnerability to winds but the owner and crew would not have known, the report said. After the report was published, the family of Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, 59, a cook who died on the vessel, said they believe his death was 'preventable'. Lawyer James Healy-Pratt said on their behalf: 'They have serious concerns about a series of failures evidently involved in the causes of this tragedy – failures in the design, safety certification and seaworthiness of the Bayesian, as well as the management by some of the crew to deal with a forecast mesocyclone storm. 'The family note that the Bayesian was an outlier in design, with a single mast structure, longer than the wingspan of a jumbo jet, that acted like an aerofoil in the storm conditions.' Mr Healy-Pratt said the family note that Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, who owned the vessel, 'was up on deck when a number of questionable decisions were being carried out by some of the crew'. He went on: 'They know that further evidence and analysis is required in areas including downflooding and seamanship, and they await the final MAIB safety report and its inevitable list of safety recommendations. 'The Thomas family are firmly resolute in their journey for truth, very public justice, and preventing future tragedies.' The interim report into the disaster shows wind speeds of 63.4 knots (73.0mph) on the beam were sufficient to tip the vessel over. It stated that 'vulnerabilities' were 'unknown to either the owner or the crew of Bayesian' as they were not included in the stability information book carried on board. The vessel was in a 'motoring condition' with its sails lowered and the centreboard — which is used to help stabilise it — was in a 'raised' position, the report said. Simon Graves, an MAIB investigator, told the PA news agency: 'You have the wind pushing the vessel over and then you have the stability of the vessel trying to push the vessel back upright again. 'And what our studies found was that they show that the Bayesian may have been vulnerable to high winds and that these winds were likely to have been evident at the time of the accident.' At 4.06am local time, wind speeds exceeded 70 knots (80.6mph), 'violently' knocking the vessel over to a 90-degree angle in under 15 seconds, investigators said, and 'people, furniture and loose items fell across the deck'. The report went on: 'There was no indication of flooding inside Bayesian until water came in over the starboard rails and, within seconds, entered the internal spaces down the stairwells.' The MAIB is investigating as the Bayesian was registered in the UK. No date has been set for when the final report will be published. Inquest proceedings in the UK are looking at the deaths of billionaire entrepreneur Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals. The others who died in the sinking were US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo. Fifteen people, including Ms Bacares, were rescued. The MAIB report stated that during the previous day, the Bayesian was sailed to the site where it later sank in order to 'shelter' from forecast thunderstorms. At 3am the following morning the wind speed was 'no more than eight knots (9mph)' but a deck hand thought 'thunderclouds and lightning seemed to be getting closer'. Some 55 minutes later the deck hand posted a video of the advancing storm on social media, then went on to the deck to close windows to protect the interior from rain. They noted that the wind had reached 30 knots (34.5mph) and thought the vessel was dragging its anchor. At 4am they woke the superyacht's skipper. Several crew members were working in response to the conditions when the vessel was knocked over six minutes later. Five people were injured 'either by falling or from things falling on them' while the deck hand was 'thrown into the sea', the report said. Two guests used furniture drawers 'as an improvised ladder' to escape their cabin. The skipper instructed guests and crew on an area of the deck to 'swim clear of the mast and boom as the vessel was sinking'. Survivors later made their way on to a life raft released from the Bayesian. They went on to be rescued on a small boat dispatched by yacht Sir Robert Baden Powell, which was at anchor nearby. The MAIB said its report was based on 'a limited amount of verified evidence' as a criminal investigation by Italian authorities has restricted its access to the wreck and other pieces of evidence. A project to move the Bayesian into an upright position and lift it to the surface paused on May 9 when a diver died during underwater work. Recovery work was due to resume on Thursday, Marcus Cave of British firm TMC Marine, which is overseeing salvage efforts, said. Further details such as 'escape routes' will be included in the final report, according to Mr Graves, who added: 'Once we get access to the vessel we'll be able to tell a fuller picture of activities on board and the sequence of events.' Mr Lynch and his daughter were said to have lived in the vicinity of London, while the Bloomers lived in Sevenoaks, 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 company to Hewlett-Packard in 2011. The boat trip was a celebration of his acquittal in the case in the US.
Global News
15-05-2025
- Business
- Global News
Extreme wind blamed for superyacht sinking that killed 7 last year: probe
The superyacht of British tech magnate Mike Lynch, which capsized last August off the coast of Sicily at the cost of seven lives, was knocked over by 'extreme wind' and could not recover, British investigators said Thursday. Billionaire entrepreneur Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18, were among the dead when the 56-metre (184 feet) Bayesian sank Aug. 19 last year. The boat trip was a celebration of Lynch's acquittal in a fraud case in the U.S. in June. In an interim report on the disaster, Britain's Marine Accident Investigation Branch said the boat was 'vulnerable' to winds that were even lighter than the ones that tipped it over. The report was based on 'a limited amount of verified evidence' as a criminal investigation by Italian authorities has restricted its access to the wreck and other pieces of evidence, it said. The agency, which is investigating the disaster because the Bayesian was registered in the U.K, said the 'vulnerabilities' were 'unknown to either the owner or the crew,' as they were not included in the stability information book carried on board. Story continues below advertisement The report stated that the Bayesian was sailed to the site where it sank the day before in order to 'shelter' from forecast thunderstorms. It said the disaster occurred at 4:06 a.m. local time, when wind speeds exceeded 70 knots (81 miles-per-hour), 'violently' knocking the vessel over to a 90-degree angle in under 15 seconds. 1:53 How did the Sicily superyacht capsize? It said that at the time of the incident, the vessel was in a 'motoring condition' with its sails lowered, while the centerboard, which is used to help stabilize it, was in a 'raised' position. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'You have the wind pushing the vessel over and then you have the stability of the vessel trying to push the vessel back up right again,' said Simon Graves, an MAIB investigator. 'And what our studies found was that they show that the Bayesian may have been vulnerable to high winds and that these winds were likely to have been evident at the time of the accident.' Story continues below advertisement Inquest proceedings in the U.K. are looking at the deaths of 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. 0:40 Superyacht sinks off the coast of Catanzaro The others who died in the sinking were U.S. lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, and Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the vessel. Fifteen people, including Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued. A project to move the Bayesian into an upright position and lift it to the surface has been paused since May 9 when a diver died during underwater work. Recovery work is set to resume from Thursday. Further details such as 'escape routes' will be included in the final report, according to Graves. Story continues below advertisement 'Once we get access to the vessel we'll be able to tell a fuller picture of activities on board and the sequence of events,' he said. No date has been set for when the final report will be published.
Western Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Western Telegraph
Family of chef who died on Mike Lynch's superyacht have ‘concerns' after report
It comes after Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) investigators said in an interim report that the 56-metre (184ft) Bayesian was knocked over by 'extreme wind' off the coast of Sicily on August 19 last year. The yacht had a vulnerability to winds but the owner and crew would not have known, the report said. After the report was published, the family of Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, 59, a cook who died on the vessel, said they believe his death was 'preventable'. Recaldo Thomas was 59 when he died (Family handout/PA) Lawyer James Healy-Pratt said on their behalf: 'They have serious concerns about a series of failures evidently involved in the causes of this tragedy – failures in the design, safety certification and seaworthiness of the Bayesian, as well as the management by some of the crew to deal with a forecast mesocyclone storm. 'The family note that the Bayesian was an outlier in design, with a single mast structure, longer than the wingspan of a jumbo jet, that acted like an aerofoil in the storm conditions.' Mr Healy-Pratt said the family note that Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, who owned the vessel, 'was up on deck when a number of questionable decisions were being carried out by some of the crew'. He went on: 'They know that further evidence and analysis is required in areas including downflooding and seamanship, and they await the final MAIB safety report and its inevitable list of safety recommendations. 'The Thomas family are firmly resolute in their journey for truth, very public justice, and preventing future tragedies.' The interim report into the disaster shows wind speeds of 63.4 knots (73.0mph) on the beam were sufficient to tip the vessel over. It stated that 'vulnerabilities' were 'unknown to either the owner or the crew of Bayesian' as they were not included in the stability information book carried on board. The vessel was in a 'motoring condition' with its sails lowered and the centreboard — which is used to help stabilise it — was in a 'raised' position, the report said. Simon Graves, an MAIB investigator, told the PA news agency: 'You have the wind pushing the vessel over and then you have the stability of the vessel trying to push the vessel back upright again. 'And what our studies found was that they show that the Bayesian may have been vulnerable to high winds and that these winds were likely to have been evident at the time of the accident.' At 4.06am local time, wind speeds exceeded 70 knots (80.6mph), 'violently' knocking the vessel over to a 90-degree angle in under 15 seconds, investigators said, and 'people, furniture and loose items fell across the deck'. The report went on: 'There was no indication of flooding inside Bayesian until water came in over the starboard rails and, within seconds, entered the internal spaces down the stairwells.' The MAIB is investigating as the Bayesian was registered in the UK. No date has been set for when the final report will be published. Inquest proceedings in the UK are looking at the deaths of billionaire entrepreneur Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals. Hannah and Mike Lynch both died (Family Handout/PA) The others who died in the sinking were US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo. Fifteen people, including Ms Bacares, were rescued. The MAIB report stated that during the previous day, the Bayesian was sailed to the site where it later sank in order to 'shelter' from forecast thunderstorms. At 3am the following morning the wind speed was 'no more than eight knots (9mph)' but a deck hand thought 'thunderclouds and lightning seemed to be getting closer'. Some 55 minutes later the deck hand posted a video of the advancing storm on social media, then went on to the deck to close windows to protect the interior from rain. They noted that the wind had reached 30 knots (34.5mph) and thought the vessel was dragging its anchor. At 4am they woke the superyacht's skipper. Several crew members were working in response to the conditions when the vessel was knocked over six minutes later. Five people were injured 'either by falling or from things falling on them' while the deck hand was 'thrown into the sea', the report said. Two guests used furniture drawers 'as an improvised ladder' to escape their cabin. The skipper instructed guests and crew on an area of the deck to 'swim clear of the mast and boom as the vessel was sinking'. Survivors later made their way on to a life raft released from the Bayesian. They went on to be rescued on a small boat dispatched by yacht Sir Robert Baden Powell, which was at anchor nearby. The MAIB said its report was based on 'a limited amount of verified evidence' as a criminal investigation by Italian authorities has restricted its access to the wreck and other pieces of evidence. A project to move the Bayesian into an upright position and lift it to the surface paused on May 9 when a diver died during underwater work. Recovery work was due to resume on Thursday, Marcus Cave of British firm TMC Marine, which is overseeing salvage efforts, said. Further details such as 'escape routes' will be included in the final report, according to Mr Graves, who added: 'Once we get access to the vessel we'll be able to tell a fuller picture of activities on board and the sequence of events.' Mr Lynch and his daughter were said to have lived in the vicinity of London, while the Bloomers lived in Sevenoaks, 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 company to Hewlett-Packard in 2011. The boat trip was a celebration of his acquittal in the case in the US.
South Wales Guardian
15-05-2025
- South Wales Guardian
Family of chef who died on Mike Lynch's superyacht have ‘concerns' after report
It comes after Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) investigators said in an interim report that the 56-metre (184ft) Bayesian was knocked over by 'extreme wind' off the coast of Sicily on August 19 last year. The yacht had a vulnerability to winds but the owner and crew would not have known, the report said. After the report was published, the family of Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, 59, a cook who died on the vessel, said they believe his death was 'preventable'. Lawyer James Healy-Pratt said on their behalf: 'They have serious concerns about a series of failures evidently involved in the causes of this tragedy – failures in the design, safety certification and seaworthiness of the Bayesian, as well as the management by some of the crew to deal with a forecast mesocyclone storm. 'The family note that the Bayesian was an outlier in design, with a single mast structure, longer than the wingspan of a jumbo jet, that acted like an aerofoil in the storm conditions.' Mr Healy-Pratt said the family note that Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, who owned the vessel, 'was up on deck when a number of questionable decisions were being carried out by some of the crew'. He went on: 'They know that further evidence and analysis is required in areas including downflooding and seamanship, and they await the final MAIB safety report and its inevitable list of safety recommendations. 'The Thomas family are firmly resolute in their journey for truth, very public justice, and preventing future tragedies.' The interim report into the disaster shows wind speeds of 63.4 knots (73.0mph) on the beam were sufficient to tip the vessel over. It stated that 'vulnerabilities' were 'unknown to either the owner or the crew of Bayesian' as they were not included in the stability information book carried on board. The vessel was in a 'motoring condition' with its sails lowered and the centreboard — which is used to help stabilise it — was in a 'raised' position, the report said. Simon Graves, an MAIB investigator, told the PA news agency: 'You have the wind pushing the vessel over and then you have the stability of the vessel trying to push the vessel back upright again. 'And what our studies found was that they show that the Bayesian may have been vulnerable to high winds and that these winds were likely to have been evident at the time of the accident.' At 4.06am local time, wind speeds exceeded 70 knots (80.6mph), 'violently' knocking the vessel over to a 90-degree angle in under 15 seconds, investigators said, and 'people, furniture and loose items fell across the deck'. The report went on: 'There was no indication of flooding inside Bayesian until water came in over the starboard rails and, within seconds, entered the internal spaces down the stairwells.' The MAIB is investigating as the Bayesian was registered in the UK. No date has been set for when the final report will be published. Inquest proceedings in the UK are looking at the deaths of billionaire entrepreneur Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals. The others who died in the sinking were US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo. Fifteen people, including Ms Bacares, were rescued. The MAIB report stated that during the previous day, the Bayesian was sailed to the site where it later sank in order to 'shelter' from forecast thunderstorms. At 3am the following morning the wind speed was 'no more than eight knots (9mph)' but a deck hand thought 'thunderclouds and lightning seemed to be getting closer'. Some 55 minutes later the deck hand posted a video of the advancing storm on social media, then went on to the deck to close windows to protect the interior from rain. They noted that the wind had reached 30 knots (34.5mph) and thought the vessel was dragging its anchor. At 4am they woke the superyacht's skipper. Several crew members were working in response to the conditions when the vessel was knocked over six minutes later. Five people were injured 'either by falling or from things falling on them' while the deck hand was 'thrown into the sea', the report said. Two guests used furniture drawers 'as an improvised ladder' to escape their cabin. The skipper instructed guests and crew on an area of the deck to 'swim clear of the mast and boom as the vessel was sinking'. Survivors later made their way on to a life raft released from the Bayesian. They went on to be rescued on a small boat dispatched by yacht Sir Robert Baden Powell, which was at anchor nearby. The MAIB said its report was based on 'a limited amount of verified evidence' as a criminal investigation by Italian authorities has restricted its access to the wreck and other pieces of evidence. A project to move the Bayesian into an upright position and lift it to the surface paused on May 9 when a diver died during underwater work. Recovery work was due to resume on Thursday, Marcus Cave of British firm TMC Marine, which is overseeing salvage efforts, said. Further details such as 'escape routes' will be included in the final report, according to Mr Graves, who added: 'Once we get access to the vessel we'll be able to tell a fuller picture of activities on board and the sequence of events.' Mr Lynch and his daughter were said to have lived in the vicinity of London, while the Bloomers lived in Sevenoaks, 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 company to Hewlett-Packard in 2011. The boat trip was a celebration of his acquittal in the case in the US.
