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The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Watery grave of Bayesian superyacht revealed in eerie last photos as what sank vessel sparks multi-million war of words
DEEP below the deceptively crystal clear waters of Sicily's Tyrrhenian Sea, the wreck of super-yacht Bayesian is yet to give up all its secrets. These exclusive photographs are the last to be taken before dives to the London-registered vessel — which sank in a storm last year — were banned after the death of a salvage team diver. Advertisement 8 Divers from the Italian coastguard inspect the wreck of the London-registered Bayesian superyacht 163 feet below the surface Credit: ugpix 8 Strong currents swirling around the wreck reduce visibility to just a metre for the divers Credit: ugpix 8 A UK probe has revealed the £30m Bayesian superyacht may have sunk due to its towering 236ft mast making it 'vulnerable to high winds' Credit: EPA That tragic loss in an explosion three weeks ago brought the number of victims to eight, with six passengers and one crew member losing their lives when the £30million yacht sank on August 19 last year. They included multi-millionaire British tech businessman Mike Lynch, 59, and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah. Veteran photographer Massimo Sestini, who dived 163 feet down to take these eerie images of the barnacle-covered wreck, knows all too well how treacherous any underwater journey can be. In January, he was left in a coma after a dive in an ice-cold Italian lake went terribly wrong. Advertisement READ MORE ON THE BAYESIAN Fortunate to survive that very close call, the 62-year-old daredevil photographer still went down to the Bayesian in April. Massimo, who has also photographed the wreck of Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia, which struck a rock and partially sank in 2012, told The Sun: 'It is dangerous down there. 'It is very dark, there is a current that brings up the sand so that visibility is down to one metre at times. 'But I was not scared.' The mystery of what brought the 'unsinkable' Bayesian to its watery grave is at the centre of a multi-million-pound war of words. Advertisement Most read in The Sun This month a preliminary report by Britain's Marine Accident Investigation Branch — involved because the Bayesian was a UK- registered vessel — said the yacht, with its Investigators think the boat was knocked over by 100mph winds in a 'mesocyclonic storm front' just before 4am while anchored half a mile off the Sicilian fishing port of Porticello. Chilling photo of Bayesian minutes before superyacht sank reveals key clue to solving mystery of disaster that killed 7 But this theory runs counter to the one put forward by the firm which built the 184ft-long yacht. Giovanni Costantino, boss of boat-building firm TISG, or The Italian Sea Group, insisted the ship's design was safe. Advertisement Legal action He believes that one of the hatches was most likely left open, He said: 'It tilted 90 degrees for only one reason — because the water kept coming in.' It is very dark, there is a current that brings up the sand so that visibility is down to one metre at times. But I was not scared. Massimo Sestini There were rumours that divers to the wreck TISG, which owns the Perini Navi shipyard in Viareggio, Tuscany, where the Bayesian was built in 2008, has taken legal action against the New York Times for reporting in October that the single tall mast design made the vessel ' Advertisement 8 Nine months after the tragedy, the divers found the yacht's hull encrusted with marine life Credit: ugpix 8 These photographs are the last taken before dives to the London-registered vessel — which sank in a storm last year — were banned after the death of a salvage team diver Credit: ugpix 8 Vereran photographer Massimo Sestini took the snaps of the doomed vessel Credit: Instagram/massimo_sestini The Italian authorities are looking into a suspicion that the crew did not react quickly enough to the storm. Advertisement Two weeks ago the yacht's skipper, New Zealander James Cutfield, used his right to silence when magistrates tried to question him. British engineer Tim Parker-Eaton and deckhand Matthew Griffiths have also been placed under investigation. Relatives of the victims, who include chef Recaldo Thomas, 59, guests Chris and Neda Morvillo, 59 and 57, and Jonathan and Judy Bloomer, 70 and 71, may sue if negligence can be proven. Advertisement But the best chance of discovering what really happened is by returning the ill-fated boat to the surface. The risks posed by the perilous operation were made clear on May 9, when Dutch diver Robcornelis Maria Huijben Uiben, 39, was killed in an explosion as he tried to cut the yacht's boom — a pole along the bottom of a sail — with an oxy-acetylene torch. When I saw the cold images of super-professional divers of the wreck on the screen, my heart sank. Massimo Sestini The boom was the first part of the Bayesian to be recovered last week, and Advertisement That means Massimo, from Florence, was the last person to have the chance to photograph the wreck. But he insisted the dive did not remind him of his brush with death in Lake Lavarone, in northern Italy , at the end of January. He had stopped breathing under the icy water when there was a malfunction with his air supply. But fortunately a diving instructor was on hand to rescue him. Massimo, who has snapped the then Prince Charles and Princess Diana during a 40-year career, was taken to hospital in a 'critical condition'. Advertisement The photographer said: 'I feel so privileged because I have a new life. 'For this, a special thank you goes to those who saved me.' His previous exploits include leaning out of helicopters and perching on the end of a ship's rigging to get the best images possible. But watching a coastguard diver inspect the wreck of the Bayesian did remind Massimo of the people who drowned inside the yacht nine months ago. Advertisement He said: 'When I saw the cold images of super-professional divers of the wreck on the screen, my heart sank. 'I thought of the seven people who died in the shipwreck.' 8 Brit Mike Lynch and his teenage daughter Hannah perished when the Bayesian went down Credit: PA 8 Rescue workers in Porticello, Italy, after the tragedy Credit: EPA Advertisement
Daily Mirror
13-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Forget a bag of cheese and onion, soon you'll be crunching on critter crisps!
The only thing stopping us all from being on the bug diet are legislation delays caused by Brexit and stigma! But eating insects is good for you – and the planet – so it's time to swallow your fears… Drinking an ice-cold Singha beer with a bag of fried, greasy insects is on most adventurous travellers' bucket lists in Bangkok. While it may take more than a few beers to nibble on a scary-looking scorpion, bugs are considered a healthy alternative to protein in Thai cuisine. Street markets sell 200 of the country's edible insect species, freshly fried and salted or sweetened—a bit like popcorn. However, in the West, the yuck factor means most of us prefer a bag of crisps with our pint rather than crispy fried crickets, but the UK Edible Insect Association (UKEIA), which hosted the recent Farmed Insect Protein Conference at Nottingham University, says bug beer snacks are much better for us nutritionally. And as I discovered, they're not nearly as unsavoury as they look. Six-legged superfoods have twice the protein of steak, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach, more vitamin B12 than salmon, and even more fibre than broccoli. Insects are so good for our health and the planet says the UKEIA, we should be adding them to our daily diets. Grasshoppers, crickets and mealworms are filled with lots of nutrients including nine essential amino acids, which make them an excellent source of complete protein. While creepy crawlies may look small, gram for gram, they contain more protein than beef and less than 5g of fat per serving. Compare that to my snack of choice, Walkers Cheese and Onion Crisps, which have 7.4g per bag. And as everyone knows, one packet is never enough! The founder of edible insect firm Bugvita, Adam Banks, says, 'I don't think insects are going to replace crisps any time soon, but I absolutely can see a future where people are tucking into our cricket snacks instead of crisps – and they'd be a much more nutritious alternative! 'The feedback we've had from the public is that familiar formats are going to help get people past the 'yuck factor'. A cricket cookie, or pancake or brownie made from our mixes is easier for many to take a bite from than a whole insect. 'That said, because insects are a bit different and can be a little shocking to some when they first come across them, I think there is likely to remain a demand for them, ready to eat and in their natural form. They make excellent stocking fillers and Secret Santas too!' However, not everyone is keen to see bugs on the menu. As Adam reveals, 'You would be surprised how many people get in touch or leave 1-star reviews because they are convinced that Klaus Schwab and the rest of the WEF global elites are working on a plan to force people to live in a pod and only eat bugs!' And not only is eating insects good for you, it can help save the planet by fighting world hunger and reducing pollution. The world's population is growing, so we need to produce more food to feed everyone, and there are lots of insects to go around. Farmed animals need a lot of space, while bugs don't take up much land, water or feed. Not only that, but unlike cattle, insect farming produces fewer greenhouse gases. But if we can't get people chomping on whole insects, we can at least incorporate cricket powder into our foods. While Bugvita works with a cricket farm in Northern Thailand, it has its own UK food manufacturing facility in Lincolnshire solely for edible insects. 'We're testing how to put cricket powder in meals because it's such a great source of nutrition and very versatile, but most people don't really know how to use it in cooking. 'We are also doing product development work for other edible insect companies who are looking to test the waters with a new concept. It's really hard to find manufacturers happy to work with insects, because they are new and a potential allergen, so that has helped us to get established. 'And we've also partnered with another company to help them develop a frozen cricket-based mince product.' The only thing now stopping UK shoppers from being able to put edible insects in their supermarket basket is the regulatory turmoil left after Brexit. Tiziana Di Costanzo, co-founder of Horizon Insects urban farm in Ealing, West London, remains hopeful we will see them on our supermarket shelves at some point, but explains, 'The EU was in the process of approving edible insects as the referendum took shape, which has left the UK behind in its progress on this 'future of farming'. 'Brexit has created huge delays on the industry's progress, and while other EU countries are enjoying the introduction of edible insects into their diets, the UK has a lot of catching up to do in terms of legislation. While stigma and cultural ideals remain a barrier to entry, the real barrier for this emerging industry is the UK government.' It may be some time before we're all putting out bowls of locusts as party snacks, but frankly, after a few drinks, you'd be hard pushed with some of the brands to tell whether you're nibbling on Bombay or bug mix. I tested four edible insect retailers' snacks – so you don't have to… 1. Crunchy Critters, £5.99-£8.49, from First up was Honey Roast Crickets (30g), £5.99, and I tentatively had a nibble on a cricket, realised I had been worrying about nothing, and then had a mouthful to really get the honey, salt and cinnamon hit. To be honest, they just looked and tasted like sweet cinnamon-flavoured rice crispies. But then I went hardcore and unseasoned with the company's bag of Mixed Critters (30g) £8.49 of mealworms, crickets and huge locusts, which were big enough to have been involved in a few plagues during the time of Egyptian pharaohs. I munched on a few big ones, but I draw the line at being able to eyeball my snacks. I was also sent cricket flour, which can be added to a smoothie for extra protein, or you could replace a fifth of the flour in normal baking recipes with this powder. Rated: 3.5/5 2. Bugvita, £3.99- I went in next with the Maple Wood Smoked Crickets (20g) £4.99, which were probably just too strongly flavoured for my liking – I may as well have been eating maple wood chips. I had avoided the Salt and Vinegar Mealworms (20g) £3.99 because of my horror of maggoty thing,s but when I'd got a bit braver by the end of the taste test, I nibbled on a roasted insect, and found I preferred the texture of mealworm to crickets. The tangy vinegar flavour doesn't mask the nutty mealworm flavour, and I could see myself buying these to eat in future if they were more widely available. Rated: 5/5 3. Bug Farm Cricket Cookies, £7.99 from The only thing stopping these yummy chocolate chip cookies from scoring top marks was the price. But while the industry is still in its infancy, all the insect products I tried were more expensive than regular snacks. TV conservationist and bug lover Dr Sarah Beynon launched Bug Farm Foods with her chef husband Andy on a beautiful farm and nature reserve in St David's, Pembrokeshire, which is also home to the UK's first full-time edible insect cafe, Grub Kitchen, and its signature bug burger. Each cookie contains about UK-farmed 20 powdered crickets, which you can't taste at all, and I particularly liked the mocha and chilli crunch flavour cookies – they had a real kick to them (apologies for appalling pun). Rated: 4/5 4. Horizon Edible Insects, £8.99 from These guys get an extra point for sending Crunchy Dried Crickets (10g) insects in a compostable paper bag, and you do get two bags of dried insects for your money. There's really no need to have lots of flavourings added as these crickets had a mild nutty and earthy taste to them, so if you prefer your snacks unseasoned, Horizon's have no added salt, preservatives or additives. I'd probably sprinkle them over yoghurt like seeds, but they can also be incorporated into everyday recipes as an alternative protein source. Rated: 3/5
Daily Mail
29-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
The excruciatingly early hour top CEOs are now waking up to get ahead of the pack
While most of us are still fast asleep, a growing number of top CEOs are already hours into their day - rising as early as 4am to get ahead of the pack. The excruciatingly early wake-up recently made headlines after a viral video featuring a muscular content creator showed his elaborate morning routine, beginning just before 4am and including bottled water and banana peel facials. 'Sin lives late at night,' wrote the creator, Ashton Hall, in one of his now-viral social media posts. 'If you're dealing with a weak mind, bad decisions, or lack of productivity, go to sleep early.' Waking up before dawn has long been stitched into the fabric of the American Dream, with high-powered leaders insisting their success begins in the dark - a time when the quiet hours offer clarity, control and a crucial head start on the competition. The act is a 'timeless productivity hack, and goes as far back, at least in American culture, as Benjamin Franklin', Adam Chandler, author of 99% Perspiration: A New Working History of the American Way of Life, told The Wall Street Journal. The practice of rising well before dawn gained fresh momentum following a viral video shared by Hall in March, in which the 29-year-old fitness trainer and Instagram personality showcased his detailed routine. 'Easy routes don't pay well, get up,' Hall wrote. In the viral clip, Hall showed himself kicking off his day around 3:55am. Over the next five-plus hours, he can be seen brushing his teeth and shaving, doing pushups on his high-rise deck, reading the Bible and journaling, plunging his face into an ice-cold bowl of Saratoga Springs bottled water, visiting a steam room, exercising, eating breakfast - and rubbing a banana peel over his face. The video, which racked up more than 10 million views on X, sparked a wave of parody clips mimicking Hall's routine. 'I couldn't really tell if it was meant to be an honest take on the routine,' Dave de Céspedes, a 40-year-old, Miami-based digital workflow consultant told the WSJ. 'It was a great piece of marketing content.' Living what feels like an entire day before the typical 7 or 8am alarm is no joke for some, including de Céspedes. Many executives consider it the cornerstone of their daily routine. 'I feel like I'm ahead of everybody else in terms of really investing in myself first, before the day requires me to invest in everybody else,' Dirk Gorman, a 57-year-old business owner, told the WSJ. Similar to many early risers, Gorman believes that waking up early and getting quality sleep is essential to a healthy routine, describing the benefits as a compound asset - much like a retirement account for one's health. Apple CEO Tim Cook (pictured) has said he typically wakes up between 4am and 5am, noting that it's the part of the day where he feels most in control 'Can you work out 250 times a year, even if it's not a '10' workout? You do that over decades, you're gonna be in tiptop shape compared to your peers,' he told the WSJ. 'I do think it has a huge advantage in the business world,' he added. 'There's just something to walking into a meeting and people go, "Oh, this guy's fit."' Top business leaders like Disney CEO Bob Iger and Apple CEO Tim Cook have also publicly endorsed the benefits of rising early. Last year, Iger shared that he wakes up at 4.15am, claiming that the early start energizes him, and that a great leader 'has to be an energetic leader,' Business Insider reported. For the 74-year-old CEO, waking up before the sun rises and hitting the gym is all about 'sanity and vanity', he told the outlet. 'Staying in shape, having stamina is critical for me, and that's eating well and exercising and just taking care of my body and my mind,' Iger said. 'I could not do this job if I were not in some form of physical and mental health. Cook has also said he typically wakes up between 4am and 5am, noting that it's the part of the day where he feels most in control. 'I can control the morning better than the evening and through the day,' the 64-year-old businessman said during a January podcast episode of Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware. 'As the day starts to unfold, it becomes less predictable,' he added. 'So I love the part of the day that I can kind of block out the world and focus on a few critical things and just be silent for awhile.' Before most dreamers even open their eyes, Cook has already spent an hour reading through emails and an hour strength training at the gym, followed by a shower and a much-needed cup of coffee. Waking up early provides a handful of health benefits, including improved mental and physical health, enhanced productivity, reduced stress, improved cognitive function and overall well-being. On the contrary, other leading bosses, including 94-year-old Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffet, have a different idea of early-morning success. After rising each morning, Buffet cracks open a cold can of Coca-Cola before heading to McDonald's for breakfast Rather than a banana breakfast and peel facial, Buffet opts for a bacon egg and cheese biscuit if he's feeling prosperous - all before spending the rest of his day in an office researching investments.
