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Straits Times
15-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Mike Lynch's yacht toppled by extreme wind, interim report finds
FILE PHOTO: Floating crane ship HEBO LIFT 2, which will recover the \"Bayesian\" yacht of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, leaves the port of Termini Imerese, ahead of the salvage operation off Porticello, near Palermo, Italy, May 3, 2025. REUTERS/Igor Petyx/File Photo LONDON - The superyacht that sank off Sicily last year, killing British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and six others, was vulnerable to violent winds and was probably knocked over by gusts of more than 117 km per hour, an interim UK report said on Thursday. The 56-metre-long (184-foot) Bayesian was moored off Porticello, near Palermo, in August last year when it was hit by a very strong downward wind, forcing it onto its side where it began taking on water, Britain's Marine Accident Investigations Branch said. Described by the boat builder's owner as basically unsinkable, Bayesian sank in about 18 minutes after the violent gusts hit, tipping it 90 degrees. The investigation established that when the yacht's retractable keel was raised, wind speeds in excess of 117 km per hour on the beam were sufficient to knock it over. The report said the yacht could also have been vulnerable to winds of lower speed. These vulnerabilities were not identified in the stability information book carried on board and were consequently unknown to either the owner or the crew. "The findings indicate that the extreme wind experienced by Bayesian was sufficient to knock the yacht over," said Andrew Moll, Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents. "Further, once the yacht had heeled beyond an angle of 70 degrees the situation was irrecoverable." The report said the 72m (78.74 yards) aluminium mast, the world's tallest, increased the vulnerability, accounting for half of the force that pushed the boat onto its side. The sinking of the Bayesian stunned the local community and those who sail in European waters. Lynch, a British tech trailblazer, had been celebrating his acquittal on 15 counts of fraud in June 2024. He was sailing with his family and friends who supported him during the U.S. trial, including his lawyer and a banker, Jonathan Bloomer. His daughter also died. 15 SECONDS The report said a sudden increase in the wind speed caused the yacht to heel over to 90 degrees in less than 15 seconds. Water came in over the starboard rails and within seconds entered the vessel down the stairwells, it said. Around 18 minutes later the yacht sunk in the 50 metre-deep sea. The Bayesian was built in 2008 by Perini Navi, an Italian luxury yacht maker. Giovanni Costantino, CEO of the Italian Sea Group, which owns Perini, said in August the yacht was "one of the safest boats in the world" and basically unsinkable. The company did not comment on the UK report. An Italian investigation into the sinking is ongoing and the British investigators said circumstances could change after more evidence is released and the wreck was examined. The yacht remains on the seabed and a salvage operation is scheduled to resume on Thursday after a diver was killed last Friday during preliminary operations to lift it. "Last week's tragedy affected all involved," said Marcus Cave, head of naval architecture and a director of TMC Marine. "However, everyone is still committed to complete this project." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
15-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Mike Lynch's yacht doomed by extreme wind, interim report finds
FILE PHOTO: Floating crane ship HEBO LIFT 2, which will recover the \"Bayesian\" yacht of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, leaves the port of Termini Imerese, ahead of the salvage operation off Porticello, near Palermo, Italy, May 3, 2025. REUTERS/Igor Petyx/File Photo LONDON - The superyacht that sank off Sicily last year, killing British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and six others, was probably knocked over by winds of more than 117 kilometres an hour, an interim UK report said on Thursday. The 56-metre-long (184-foot) Bayesian was moored off the small port of Porticello, near Palermo, in August last year when it was likely hit by a very strong downward wind, killing Lynch, his daughter Hannah and five others, Britain's Marine Accident Investigations Branch said. The investigation established that, when the yacht's retractable keel was in the raised position, wind speeds in excess of 117km per hour on the beam were sufficient to knock Bayesian over. It said it was possible the yacht was similarly vulnerable to winds of lower speed. These vulnerabilities were not identified in the stability information book carried on board and were consequently unknown to either the owner or the crew of Bayesian. "The findings indicate that the extreme wind experienced by Bayesian was sufficient to knock the yacht over," said Andrew Moll, Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents. "Further, once the yacht had heeled beyond an angle of 70 degrees the situation was irrecoverable." The report said a sudden increase in the wind speed caused the yacht to keel over to 90 degrees in less than 15 seconds. Water came in over the starboard rails and within seconds entered the vessel down the stairwells, it said. Around 18 minutes later the yacht sunk in the 50 metre-deep sea. The Bayesian was built in 2008 by Perini Navi, an Italian luxury yacht maker. It featured the world's tallest aluminium mast, measuring 72 metres (236 feet). Giovanni Costantino, CEO of the Italian Sea Group, which owns Perini, said in August the yacht was "one of the safest boats in the world" and basically unsinkable. The company did not provide an immediate comment on the UK report. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
07-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Salvage to begin in Italy for Lynch's yacht after fatal sinking
Floating crane ship HEBO LIFT 2, which will recover the \"Bayesian\" yacht of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, leaves the port of Termini Imerese, ahead of the salvage operation off Porticello, near Palermo, Italy, May 3, 2025. REUTERS/Igor Petyx/File Photo Salvage to begin in Italy for Lynch's yacht after fatal sinking PORTICELLO, Italy - The recovery of British tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht from the waters of northern Sicily is expected to begin in the coming weeks to help shed light on how a supposedly unsinkable vessel disappeared into the sea last August. The 56-metre-long (184-foot) Bayesian, with its majestic single 72-metre mast, was moored off the small port of Porticello when it was likely hit by a downburst, a very strong downward wind, in the early hours of August 19. The Bayesian capsized and sank from the stern in the space of 16 minutes, killing seven people, including Lynch and his daughter Hannah. Since then, the ship owned by the Lynch family has been lying on its starboard side at a depth of 49 metres. The other six passengers, including Lynch's wife Angela Bacares, and nine crew members survived. The tragedy has attracted international attention because of the fame of Lynch, known as "The Bill Gates of Britain". The shipwreck has also puzzled naval marine experts. The 534-tonne Bayesian, built in 2008 by yacht manufacturer Perini Navi, now owned by the Italian Sea Group, should have withstood the storm and, in any case, should not have sunk as quickly as it did, experts say. MAST TO BE CUT BEFOREHAND Italian prosecutors, who are investigating the yacht's captain and two other crew members for potential manslaughter, said their investigation will not be completed before the ship is lifted and inspected. They summoned lawyers for all parties involved and technical advisers to Porticello on Wednesday to oversee a salvage operation expected to take 20-30 days. "I don't think (the lifting) is going to be decisive for the investigations, but it's certainly important," said Mario Bellavista, a lawyer for the family of Recaldo Thomas, the onboard cook who died in the shipwreck. He told journalists in Porticello that raw data from on-board equipment that has already been extracted from the wrecked yacht, including video surveillance cameras and navigation systems, will be shared with lawyers in June. The consortium picked to salvage the yacht, led by UK-based consultancy TMC Marine and featuring a joint venture between Dutch companies HEBO Maritiemservice and Smit Salvage, plans to cut the mast before raising the vessel. Preparatory works are already being conducted offshore from a 700-square-metre floating platform. An underwater robot is surveying the Bayesian, whose tanks contain 18,000 litres of diesel. The vessel is expected to be brought to the surface by HEBO Lift 10, one of Europe's most powerful floating cranes, and then taken to Termini Imerese, about 40 kilometres east of Palermo. HUMAN ERRORS OR DESIGN FLAWS? The CEO of Italian Sea Group, Giovanni Costantino, blamed the sinking on a series of "indescribable, unreasonable errors" by the crew, and ruled out any design or construction flaws. "The impossible happened on that boat ... but it went down because it took on water. From where, the investigators will tell," he said in an interview with Reuters in August. According to a prosecutors' document seen by Reuters, the night watch crewman, Matthew Griffiths, is suspected of failing to notice the worsening weather conditions, while the other sailor under investigation, Timothy Parker Eaton, was allegedly late in spotting that the boat was taking in water from the back. Both did not promptly warn Captain James Cutfield, who, in turn, is suspected of not taking all the necessary measures to deal with the emergency and not adequately warning passengers of the danger. The three suspects have not commented publically on the allegations. Another yacht that was anchored near the Bayesian survived intact. Karsten Borner, the captain of that vessel, said the Bayesian flipped on its side and sank within minutes. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Deccan Herald
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
May 4, 2025: Best photos from around the world
Nuns walk while tourists rest outside a restaurant near the Vatican, ahead of the conclave to elect the next pope, in Rome, Italy, May 3, 2025. Credit: Reuters Photo Floating crane ship HEBO LIFT 2, which will recover the "Bayesian" yacht of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, leaves the port of Termini Imerese, ahead of the salvage operation off Porticello, near Palermo, Italy, May 3, 2025. Credit: Reuters Photo Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese celebrates with his partner Jodie Haydon, his son Nathan Albanese and Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong at a Labor party election night event, after local media projected the Labor Party's victory, on the day of the Australian federal election, in Sydney, Australia, May 3, 2025. Credit: Reuters Photo Lady Gaga rehearses one day before her open concert in Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil May 2, 2025. People vote at a polling station at Bondi Surf lifesaving club on the day of the Australian federal election, in Sydney, Australia, May 3, 2025. Credit: Reuters Photo A reveler is silhouetted against a bonfire during the Tuzamapan Carnival, as part of the traditional "burning of bad humor", in Tuzamapan, Veracruz state, Mexico Credit: Reuters Photo
