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Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Never-before-seen Bayesian yacht wreck sheds light on real cause of tragedy
The first images of the British superyacht Bayesian have emerged showing the wreck in remarkable detail, just nine months after the vessel sank, killing seven people For the first time since it sank last August, the British superyacht Bayesian has been captured in remarkable detail - 150 feet below the surface of the Mediterranean. Renowned photographer Massimo Sestini's images show the gold lettering of the yacht's name still proudly displayed on the submerged stern. Despite just nine months underwater, nature has begun reclaiming the wreck. Seaweed is already colonising the once-pristine deck, while fish explore their new habitat. The photographs come as investigations continue into how the 'unsinkable' £30 million yacht went down so suddenly, tragically claiming seven lives - including British billionaire Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah. Fifteen people, including Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued. Sestini's photos appear to challenge one early theory: the yacht's stern hatch remains firmly closed, contradicting claims by shipbuilders that it was left open during the storm, allowing water to flood in. The wreck lies largely intact on the seabed off the coast of Sicily as a £20 million salvage operation works to raise it. The Bayesian - known for its signature 236-foot mast, one of the tallest in the world —sank in just 16 minutes during a fierce storm with 100 mph winds while anchored near the fishing village of Porticello. A recent interim report from British investigators highlighted 'vulnerabilities' in the yacht's stability, noting that crew members were unable to prevent the 184-foot luxury sailing vessel from violently tilting. Crucially, the captain and crew were reportedly unaware of these risks, as the necessary safety information was not included in the onboard safety booklet, according to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB). Tragedy struck again earlier this month when a Dutch diver working on the salvage operation died, marking the eighth fatality linked to the Bayesian. In response, all manned diving was temporarily suspended, and underwater exploration shifted to robotic systems. Mr. Sestini described the conditions at the wreck site as treacherous. The great depth, limited sunlight, and swirling sediment reduced visibility to as little as one metre. 'When I connected my camera to the computer and saw the images of the wreck on the screen, my heart sank,' the photographer said, recalling his own near-drowning while diving beneath a frozen Italian lake earlier this year. Speaking to the Italian magazine Oggi, Sestini called the sinking 'a great mystery'. 'The wreck seems intact,' he said, noting that while initial reports blamed an open stern hatch for flooding, his photos show the door remains closed. Shortly after the disaster on August 19, the CEO of Italian Sea Group - who acquired Bayesian's builder Perini Navi two years prior - suggested human error was to blame, insisting the stern hatch had been 'clearly' open. The company has yet to comment on the MAIB's ongoing investigation. The yacht was legally owned by Mr. Lynch's wife, Ms. Bacares, who survived the tragedy. 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. The others who died in the sinking were US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, and Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the vessel. 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.
Irish Post
23-05-2025
- Irish Post
Interim report released into sinking of luxury yacht Bayesian
AN interim report into the sinking of the luxury superyacht Bayesian has offered the most detailed timeline yet of the events leading up to the disaster, which claimed seven lives — including prominent Irish tech entrepreneur Dr Mike Lynch and his daughter, Hannah. The Bayesian capsized off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of 19 August 2024, just half a nautical mile from the port of Porticello. The UK's Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is leading the safety inquiry, as the yacht was registered in the United Kingdom. A separate criminal investigation is being conducted in parallel by the Termini Imerese Public Prosecutor's Office in Sicily. The 120-foot sailing yacht had been motoring towards Porticello to shelter from worsening weather. It anchored near the harbour breakwater just before 9.30pm. Weather forecasts had warned of thunderstorms, but initial conditions were calm. Overnight watch duties were being carried out by two deckhands while most guests and crew slept. The skipper left instructions to be woken if wind speeds rose above 20 knots or if the vessel began dragging its anchor. The first recovery equipment arrived this month to raise the Bayesian superyacht that sank off Sicily last year, killing tech mogul Dr Mike Lynch and six others By 3:55am, conditions had changed rapidly. One of the deckhands recorded video of lightning approaching and noted that winds had picked up to 30 knots. The vessel began to list to starboard. Within minutes, Bayesian and another nearby yacht, Sir Robert Baden Powell , were both dragging anchor in heavy squalls. The skipper was woken at 4:00am, and emergency preparations began. The chief engineer started the generators and prepared the engines for manoeuvring. Several other crew members and guests were also roused as the yacht's tilt worsened. At approximately 4:06am, a sudden wind gust exceeding 70 knots struck the vessel. The awning over the flying bridge was ripped off, and Bayesian heeled sharply to 90 degrees within 15 seconds. Loose furniture, equipment and passengers were thrown across the deck. Emergency lighting activated as generators failed. Some crew and guests were injured during the upheaval, and one deckhand was thrown overboard. Those trapped below managed to escape by climbing up walls or stairwells as water began entering through the starboard side. The chief engineer successfully launched an emergency beacon. Several crew members and guests jumped into the sea or clung to floating objects. Others were still onboard, working to release liferafts. Despite the chaos, one crew member managed to free and inflate a liferaft, allowing a group of survivors to board around 4:24am. First aid was given to the injured while others used cushions and improvised flotation to stay afloat. One crew member used a phone torch to search for more survivors in the water. By this point, the bow of Bayesian had risen before sinking completely in approximately 50 metres of water. The tender from Sir Robert Baden Powell returned to search for survivors. The yacht's skipper later joined the search and contacted local authorities. All seven fatalities — six guests and one crew member — were subsequently recovered by Italian emergency services. The MAIB report stresses that its findings are provisional and do not determine liability. The inquiry is focused on the vessel's design, stability, operation, and emergency protocols. Among other details, it will assess the anchoring arrangement, the crew's emergency response, and how rapidly changing weather may have contributed to the incident. Investigators are also reviewing video footage, navigation records, and maintenance logs. The final report is expected to include safety recommendations for the yacht industry and wider maritime sector. The Bayesian tragedy has already prompted calls for a review of weather-warning systems and emergency preparedness on large private vessels. Maritime authorities in both the UK and Italy are cooperating closely, while legal proceedings in Sicily continue. The criminal investigation is progressing, with the focus on crew actions and possible design flaws. The final conclusions and any subsequent legal actions will depend on the findings from the ongoing salvage and forensic examinations. The inquiry focuses on potential charges against three crew members: Captain James Cutfield, Chief Engineer Timothy Parker Eaton, and Deckhand Matthew Griffiths. They are currently under investigation The salvage operation to recover the wreck of the luxury superyacht Bayesian off the coast of Sicily has been halted following the tragic death of a Dutch diver. Rob Cornelis Maria Huijben, 39, was working at a depth of 50 metres near Porticello when he died during preparation work to cut the yacht's mainmast. Dr Mike Lynch LYNCH, born in Ilford, Essex, to Irish parents—his mother from County Tipperary and his father from County Cork—was a prominent figure in the tech industry. He founded Autonomy Corporation, a software company sold to Hewlett-Packard for $11.7 billion in 2011. This became the subject of a legal case, with Dr Lynch and a co-defendant facing fraud charges in an American court. They were acquitted of all charges in 2024. The Mediterranean cruise was to celebrate his winning the case in a San Francisco court. By deathly coincidence his fellow accused also found innocent of all charges, was also killed the same weekend of the Bayesian tragedy. Stephen Chamberlain died after being struck by a car while out running in Cambridgeshire on August 17, 2024. Michael Lynch maintained strong ties to Ireland, spending childhood summers in Carrick-on-Suir and supporting local initiatives, including donations to a local GAA See More: Bayesian, Dr Mike Lynch, Report, Sinking
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Reason for Sicily Yacht Sinking Revealed After 7 People Died
Originally appeared on E! Online Answers surrounding the deadly sinking of a yacht in Italy are coming to the surface. Nearly nine months after seven people died when the U.K.-owned Bayesian superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily, officials from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB)—an organization that 'investigates marine accidents involving UK vessels worldwide,' according to their website—have released some of the findings from their investigation. According to an interim report published by MAIB May 15, strong, sudden winds from a passing storm in the early hours of Aug. 19 forced the boat to tip on its side and begin sinking. While the anticipated storm is what prompted the boat's crew to anchor near the Sicilian village of Porticello, according to the document, the intense increase in wind speed eventually caused the boat to capsize. At 3 a.m. local time, the winds from the approaching storm were recorded at 8 knots (around 9 miles per hour), but by around 3:55 a.m. the winds had increased to 30 knots (35 mph). As the boat began to drag its anchor, it also began to tip from the winds. More from E! Online How Sean "Diddy" Combs Reacted to Cassie Ventura's Cross-Examination Testimony in Trial White Lotus Star Walton Goggins' Wife Breaks Silence on Aimee Lou Wood Romance Rumors John Legend, Demi Lovato and More React to Chrissy Teigen's Sobriety Update At around 4:06 a.m., the wind suddenly increased to more than 70 knots (81 mph), causing an awning above the boat to rip and fall from the left side of the boat to the right. The boat then turned 90 degrees on its side 'taking less than 15 seconds to do so,' which is when 'people, furniture, and loose items fell across the deck' of the boat. Meanwhile, two passengers in their room below deck had to use "the furniture drawers" in their room "as an improvised ladder to exit the space, escaping along the internal walls of the central alleyway and climbing out into the saloon area," per the report. Until that point there was 'no indication of flooding inside Bayesian,' but once 'water came in over the [right side] rails,' water 'entered the internal spaces' of the yacht 'within seconds,' officials found. During the incident, many of the crew helped lift passengers out of the capsized boat before they eventually entered the water as the vessel continued sinking. Once in the water, a member of the crew 'instructed the guests and crew present there to swim clear of [the yacht].' As survivors collectively gathered in the water, the boat's chief officer swam over and released a life raft from the sinking ship. Around 4:24 a.m., the group inflated the life raft and boarded it. About 20 minutes later, a crew member fired a flare into the air and the 15 survivors were rescued by a nearby ship called Sir Robert Baden Powell. As a result of the tragedy, seven of the boat's passengers—billionaire tech mogul Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah, Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, passenger Christopher Morvillo, his wife Neda Morvillo and the yacht's chef Recaldo Thomas—sadly died. As the MAIB continue their investigation, the organization stated in their interim report, 'There is the possibility that new evidence may become available that might alter the circumstances as depicted in this report." For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Furious family of chef killed in Bayesian superyacht disaster lash out at crew for their response to storm forecasts and raise concerns over 'series of failures' for the tragedy
The family of the chef who died in the Bayesian superyacht tragedy off the coast of Sicily last year have criticised the crew's response to the violent storm that caused the vessel to sink. Cook Recaldo Thomas, 59, was one of the seven people who died in the disaster last August aboard the luxury yacht owned by British tech billionaire Mike Lynch - who also lost his life alongside 18-year-old daughter Hannah. Mr Thomas's family said on Thursday that they were concerned about a 'series of failures' in the way the crew responded to a storm that struck the ship, causing it to capsize and sink. '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 is reported as saying on behalf of Mr Thomas's family. Their remarks come after an investigation by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said this week the crew of the doomed £30million yacht were 'unaware' of its 'vulnerabilities.' After reading the report, Mr Thomas's family said they believed his death was 'preventable.' The family also condemned how the Bayesian was an 'outlier in design' with its single mast structure that 'acted like an aerofoil in the storm conditions,' the lawyer added. However, the interim report into the disaster found that the 'vulnerabilities' were 'unknown to either the owner or the crew' of the vessel' as they were not included in the stability information book carried on board. The report also shows that wind speeds of 73mph directly on the vessel's beam would 'likely result in the vessel capsizing'. Andrew Moll, Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, said: 'The findings indicate that the extreme wind experienced by Bayesian was sufficient to knock the yacht over. 'Further, once the yacht had heeled beyond an angle of 70 degree the situation was irrecoverable.' Giovanni Costantino, CEO of the Bayesian's builders The Italian Sea Group, has previously said the sinking was 'down to human error' and insisted that it was 'unsinkable'. The detailed report provides an agonising breakdown of events, charting for the first time how the tragedy unfolded minute by minute off the coast near Porticello. The MAIB have said however that this is an interim report based on limited verified evidence. The report comes after investigators were forced to half the £20million salvage operation of the doomed superyacht after a diver involved tragically lost his life last week. Rob Huijben, 39, died as he worked to remove a boom hinge from Bayesian's trademark 237ft mast at a depth of 160ft as preparatory work for the lift began last Friday. The incident was captured on CCTV by colleagues working on the surface in a support vessel and the Dutchman's body was later recovered by a fellow diver and taken ashore. An autopsy on Thursday revealed that there were no signs of burns on the diver's body, but that his death was compatible with an explosion that may have occurred when a torch used to cut the mast passed through pockets of hydrogen. On the night of August 18, the Bayesian had anchored next to the Sir Robert Baden Powell -a boat which would later rescue survivors – to shelter from the forecast thunderstorm. At 3am, the deckhand on duty noted the wind as being at 8kts (9.2pmh) but thought that the thunderclouds and lightning seemed to be getting closer. Less than an hour later at 3.55am, the deckhand 'videoed the advancing storm and posted it to their social media feed' before closing hatches and cockpit windows. Within minutes the winds had picked up to 30kts (35mph) and the Bayesian was listing and dragging its anchor. At around 4am, the deckhand woke up the skipper and the crew leapt into action by starting the generators and preparing to manoeuvre the Bayesian. Meanwhile a British mother and her partner woke up and took their one-year-old daughter to the boat's saloon. The chef Recaldo Thomas, who would die in the tragedy, was in the galley securing the cutlery, pots and pans and called 'Good morning!' to the nearby stewards. But as disaster struck as the skipper prepared to manoeuvre, the wind suddenly increased to more than 70kts (80.5mph) ripping the awning away. At 4.06am the Bayesian 'violently heeled over' in less than 15 seconds to a 90-degree angle. This sent people as well as furniture flying across the deck leaving five people including the captain were injured while a deckhand was thrown into the sea. Two guests trapped in their cabin were forced to used furniture drawers as an improvised ladder to escape into the saloon area. The report said there was no indication of flooding inside the vessel until water came in over the starboard rails and, within seconds, entered the cabins down the stairwells. The yacht's crew were able to push four guests through the cascading water up to the skipper on the flying bridge. The Chief Officer who had been swept to the back of the saloon and into another air pocket, dived down to open the sliding doors at the end of the saloon and managed to swim clear of the vessel. The captain called for the guests and crew who managed to escape to swim clear of the mast and boom as the vessel sank. In the water, a deckhand improvised a tourniquet for a one of the guest's gashed arms, while a baby was kept afloat on a cushion. In the darkness, some of survivors were treading water while others held on to some cushions that had floated free from the yacht. One of the guests frantically searched for other survivors in vain using the torch from their phone while the captain and chief officer frantically freed the life raft from the sinking wreck. At around 4.24am the liferaft was inflated and the survivors were able to get inside it where the crew began administering first aid. Desperate to raise the alarm with the nearby Sir Robert Baden Powell, the chief engineer fired several flares before they were spotted at 4.43am. The skipper of Sir Robert Baden Powell dispatched its tender towards the 15 survivors and despite searching the area no one else was found. The bodies were subsequently recovered after an agonising five-day search of the wreck on the seabed.
ABC News
16-05-2025
- ABC News
Mike Lynch's yacht toppled by extreme wind, interim report finds
A yacht that sank off Sicily last year, killing UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch and six others, was vulnerable to violent winds and was probably knocked over by gusts of more than 117 kilometres per hour, according to an interim UK report. The 56-metre-long Bayesian was moored off Porticello, near Palermo, in August when it was hit by a strong downward wind, forcing it onto its side where it began taking on water, Britain's Marine Accident Investigations Branch (MAIB) said. Described by the boat builder's owner as basically unsinkable, Bayesian sank in about 18 minutes after the strongest gusts hit, tipping it 90 degrees. The investigation established that when the yacht's retractable keel was raised, wind speeds in excess of 117kph on the beam were sufficient to force it over. It could also have been vulnerable to winds of lower speed, it said. 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 report said the 72m aluminium mast, the world's tallest, accounted for half of the force that pushed the boat onto its side. "The findings indicate that the extreme wind experienced by Bayesian was sufficient to knock the yacht over," said Andrew Moll, chief inspector at MAIB. The sinking of Bayesian, close to port, stunned the local community and those who sail in European waters. Mr Lynch, a 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 US trial. His 18-year-old daughter Hannah died, along with lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda, banker Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy, and chef Recaldo Thomas. The report said the weather rapidly worsened shortly before 4am and the yacht started dragging on its anchor. A deckhand woke up the skipper, who went to the bridge, while the chief engineer went to the engine room to prepare the vessel for manoeuvring. The wind suddenly increased at 4:06am, causing the yacht to heel over to 90 degrees in less than 15 seconds, sending people, furniture and loose items flying across the deck. Water came in over the starboard rails and within seconds entered the vessel down the stairwells, it said. One crew member was thrown into the sea, while two guests used drawers as a ladder to exit a cabin, the report said. The skipper told guests and crew on the bridge to abandon the yacht and swim clear of the mast and boom as it was sinking. Around 18 minutes later the yacht sank in the 50m deep sea. Nine crew members and six guests were rescued from a life raft. 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 was released and the wreck was examined. The yacht remains on the seabed and a salvage operation is scheduled to resume on Thursday, local time, 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."
