British technology tycoon Mike Lynch and his teenage daughter are missing after a “tornado” sunk his superyacht off the coast of Sicily.
Mr Lynch and his daughter, Hannah, 18, are among six people still missing after the sailboat, named Bayesian, sank in the early hours of Monday with 22 people on board.
The 56-metre yacht had a crew of ten people and 12 guests, representing British, American and Canadian nationalities, the Italian coast guard said.
Mr Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, was one of the 15 people rescued, as eight survivors were taken to hospital, including a one-year-old baby. One body has been found while four Britons and a child are reportedly still among the missing.
Some guests on board are believed to have been Mr Lynch’s lawyers, who were invited to celebrate his recent legal victory which cleared him of fraud accusations, The Telegraph reported.
Divers have identified a wreckage 50m below the water’s surface and prosecutors in the nearby town of Termini Imerese have opened an investigation into the incident.
Have you been affected by this story? Email tara.cobham@independent.co.uk
Key Points
- Bayesian owner Mike Lynch is among missing while British tech mogul's wife among rescued
- Mike Lynch’s daughter also missing
- Yacht guests were ‘Lynch’s lawyers celebrating his legal victory’
- What do we know about the survivors?
- Mother describes horror of ‘losing baby at sea'
- Body is believed to be Bayesian’s chef, according to local media
Morgan Stanley’s chair Jonathan Bloomer confirmed among six missing
04:50
Shweta Sharma
Morgan Stanley International chair Jonathan Bloomer has been identified as one of the six missing people after a super yacht capsized off the coast of Sicily during a storm, an Italian official said.
The others missing from the sailboat Bayesian include British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his daughter, as well as Chris Morvillo, an attorney at British law firm Clifford Chance which represented Lynch in a massive fraud case, said Salvatore Cocina, head of the civil protection agency in Sicily.
Mr Bloomer was reportedly a close friend of Lynch.
The trip had been organised by Lynch for his work colleagues, according to reports, after he was cleared of all charges of fraud after being accused of inflating the value of his company when selling it to US tech giant Hewlett-Packard (HP).
He was extradited to the US last May for a trial that acquitted him on all 15 counts over the $11bn (£8.64 bn) purchase of his company.
Photos: Search and rescue operation continues through the night
04:31
Shweta Sharma
The search operation continued overnight to find the six people missing after a luxury yacht capsized off the Italian island of Sicily in the early hours of Monday morning.
The coast guard said divers were inspecting the wreck of the Bayesian, which was lying at a depth of 49 metres.
After the accident, a Dutch-flagged vessel near the yacht rescued survivors from the waves, tending to them until emergency services arrived.
The Italian fire brigade reported that its divers had reached the yacht’s hull. Additionally, the brigade deployed helicopters to support the search operation.
British survivor says she held her one-year-old daughter to stay afloat
04:07
Shweta Sharma
One of the survivors, British tourist Charlotte Golunski, told la Repubblica she held her one-year-old daughter, Sofia, to stop her from drowning as the yacht capsized.
She, her daughter and her husband were among the 15 people who had been rescued from the luxury yacht Bayesian early on Monday.
“For two seconds I lost my daughter in the sea then quickly hugged her amid the fury of the waves,” she told the paper.
She said: “I held her afloat with all my strength, my arms stretched upwards to keep her from drowning.
“It was all dark. In the water I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I screamed for help but all I could hear around me was the screams of others.”
“Luckily the lifeboat inflated and 11 of us managed to get on board.”
Charlotte and Sofia are being treated in hospital, as is Sofia’s father.
Where did the yacht sink?
03:49
Jabed Ahmed
The luxury yacht sunk off the coast of Palermo, Sicily.
The 56-metre long sailboat sank with 22 people on board shortly before sunrise, the Italian coast guard said in a statement.
“The wind was very strong. Bad weather was expected, but not of this magnitude,” a coast guard official in Palermo told Reuters.
Storms and heavy rainfall have swept down Italy in recent days - with floods and landslides causing major damage in the north of the country - after weeks of scorching heat.
The boat left the Sicilian port of Milazzo on 14 August and was last tracked east of Palermo on Sunday evening, with a navigation status of “at anchor”, according to vessel tracking app Vesselfinder.
Who is Mike Lynch, the billionaire tech entrepreneur missing after sailing yacht Bayesian sinks in Italy
02:51
Jabed Ahmed
Sicily Bayesian sinking mapped: Everything we know about Mike Lynch, the superyacht and missing Britons
01:58
Jabed Ahmed
Global warming may be factor in deadly Italian shipwreck
Tuesday 20 August 2024 00:47
Jabed Ahmed
Global warming may have contributed to the freak storm that sank a luxury British-flagged yacht off the coast of Sicily, a climatologist has said.
Luca Mercalli, president of the Italian meteorological society, said the episode could have been a water spout, essentially a tornado over water, or else a downburst, a more frequent phenomenon that doesn’t involve the rotation of the air.
“We don’t know which it was because it all happened in the dark in the early hours of the morning, so we have no photographs,” he told news agency Reuters.
In Italy water spouts can involve winds of up to 200 kilometres (124 miles) per hour, while downbursts can produce gusts of around 150 km per hour.
Statistics show that downbursts are becoming more frequent around the country, which Mercalli said may be connected to global warming.
Storms and heavy rainfall have swept down Italy in recent days after weeks of scorching heat.
“The sea surface temperature around Sicily was around 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit), which is almost 3 degrees more than normal. This creates an enormous source of energy that contributes to these storms,” Mercalli said.
“So we can’t say that this is all due to climate change, but we can say that it has an amplifying effect.”
Yacht guests were ‘Lynch’s lawyers celebrating his acquittal’
Tuesday 20 August 2024 00:05
Jabed Ahmed
Some guests on board Mike Lynch’s yacht as it sunk were reportedly his from his legal team - invited there to celebrate the tech tycoon’s recent acquittal.
The 59-year-old’s superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday morning with 22 people - ten crew members and 12 guests - on board.
Mike and his daughter, Hannah, 18, are amongst the six people still missing as one person has been confirmed dead and 15 were rescued.
According to the Telegraph, Mr Lynch had invited his legal team from Clifford Chance to celebrate his legal victory, in which he was cleared of all charges of fraud after being accused of inflating the value of his company after selling it to US tech giant Hewlett-Packard (HP).
The father of one of the survivors of the tragedy said she was a Clifford Chance lawyer who said that the trip had been a celebration.
He told the paper: “I have texted with my daughter and she hasn’t given me any updates about missing personnel or saved personnel. She has only said to me that there are deaths, and she and her partner are alive.”
Pictured: Rescue teams search through the night
Monday 19 August 2024 23:00
Athena Stavrou
Mapped: the path of the Bayesian yacht before it sunk
Monday 19 August 2024 22:20
Athena Stavrou
Canadian foreign office in contact with Italian authorities
Monday 19 August 2024 21:52
Jabed Ahmed
Canada’s foreign ministry has confirmed it is in contact with local authorities in Sicily amid reports Canadians were onboard the Bayesian when it sunk.
A spokesperson told the BBC they are “aware of reports that a Canadian citizen has died”.
Italian authorities have not formally confirmed the nationality of the one person whose body has been recovered.
Full report: British tycoon Mike Lynch and daughter among missing at sea with one dead after yacht sinks in Italy
Monday 19 August 2024 21:30
Jabed Ahmed
Missing British tech tycoon Mike Lynch’s co-defendant in US fraud trial dies in car crash
Monday 19 August 2024 21:05
Athena Stavrou
The co-defendant of British tech tycoon Mike Lynch in a US fraud trial died in a car crash days before the businessman went missing after the sinking of his yacht off the coast of Sicily.
Stephen Chamberlain, Autonomy’s former vice president of finance alongside chief executive Mr Lynch, was killed after being hit by a vehcile while out running on Saturday, his lawyer, Gary Lincenberg said.
Less than 48 hours later, Mr Lynch was among six tourists who went missing after a luxury yacht sank in a tornado off the coast of Sicily early on Monday.
In a statement, Mr Lincenberg said: “Our dear client and friend Steve Chamberlain was fatally struck by a car on Saturday while out running.
“He was a courageous man with unparalleled integrity. We deeply miss him. Steve fought successfully to clear his good name at trial earlier this year, and his good name now lives on through his wonderful family.
Former crew member says missing employees ‘well known’ across industry
Monday 19 August 2024 20:40
Athena Stavrou
A former crew member of the Bayesian has said those working on the boat as it sank in the early hours of Monday morning were “well known and liked”.
The yachtsman, who worked on the boat several years ago told Sky News it’s a “well respected boat and well known in the industry, especially on the Mediterranean and Caribbean circuits”.
He said: “The weather around Sicily can be slightly unpredictable but this does seem to have been an unusually large freak storm.
“The missing crew members are missing crew members are well known and liked across the industry.
“We have been nervously waiting for updates since this morning. My thoughts are with all involved during this awful moment.”
Yacht guests were ‘Lynch’s lawyers celebrating his acquittal’
Monday 19 August 2024 20:19
Athena Stavrou
Some guests on board Mike Lynch’s yacht as it sunk were reportedly his from his legal team - invited there to celebrate the tech tycoon’s recent acquittal.
The 59-year-old’s superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday morning with 22 people - ten crew members and 12 guests - on board.
Mike and his daughter, Hannah, 18, are amongst the six people still missing as one person has been confirmed dead and 15 were rescued.
According to the Telegraph, Mr Lynch had invited his legal team from Clifford Chance to celebrate his legal victory, in which he was cleared of all charges of fraud after being accused of inflating the value of his company after selling it to US tech giant Hewlett-Packard (HP).
The father of one of the survivors of the tragedy said she was a Clifford Chance lawyer who said that the trip had been a celebration.
He told the paper: “I have texted with my daughter and she hasn’t given me any updates about missing personnel or saved personnel. She has only said to me that there are deaths, and she and her partner are alive.”
UK sending team to investigate tragedy
Monday 19 August 2024 19:55
Athena Stavrou
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch said four of its inspectors were being deployed to Palermo following the sinking of the Bayesian yacht.
A basic assessment of the scene will be made by the team with no investigation launched at this stage, the PA news agency understands.
Witness says crew must have been ‘surprised’ by storm
Monday 19 August 2024 19:43
Athena Stavrou
A man who saw the sinking of Mike Lynch’s superyacht unfold said they must have been “surprised” by the storm that hit.
“At around 4:30 in the morning it was gone. A beautiful vessel where there had been a party. A normal holiday day spent happily at sea turned into a tragedy,” a witness told Italian news agency ANSA.
He continued: “The vessel was not far from the port. It would have taken very little to raise the anchor and head for the port. Evidently they were surprised by the storm that suddenly hit and they were unable to avoid the sinking.”
Global warming may be factor in deadly Italian shipwreck,
Monday 19 August 2024 19:18
Athena Stavrou
Global warming may have contributed to the freak storm that sank a luxury British-flagged yacht off the coast of Sicily on Monday, an Italian climatologist has said.
Luca Mercalli, president of the Italian meteorological society, said the episode that led to the tragedy could have been a water spout, essentially a tornado over water, or else a downburst, a more frequent phenomenon that doesn’t involve the rotation of the air.
“We don’t know which it was because it all happened in the dark in the early hours of the morning, so we have no photographs,” he said.
In Italy, water spouts can involve winds of up to 200 kilometres (124 miles) per hour, while downbursts can produce gusts of more than 250 km per hour.Statistics show that downbursts are becoming more frequent around the country, which Mercalli said may be connected to global warming.
Storms and heavy rainfall have swept down Italy in recent days after weeks of scorching heat.
“The sea surface temperature around Sicily was around 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit), which is almost 3 degrees more than normal. This creates an enormous source of energy that contributes to these storms,” Mercalli said. “So we can’t say that this is all due to climate change, but we can say that it has an amplifying effect.”
A similar freak storm killed four people, when their tourist boat sank on Lake Maggiore in northern Italy in May last year.
The country’s varied geology makes it prone to floods and landslides, while the fact it is flanked by rapidly warming seas means it is vulnerable to increasingly powerful storms.
“Climate-driven catastrophes in Italy will become more frequent and more intense,” Mercalli said.
Rescue operation to continue overnight
Monday 19 August 2024 18:51
Athena Stavrou
The search and rescue operation for those missing after a yacht sunk off the coast of Sicily will continue overnight, authorities said.
The director general of Sicily’s civil protection agency, Salvatore Cocina, told the BBC Cocina that the operation will carry on through the night as a specialist caving search and rescue diving team has now arrived from Rome.
They are hoping to “achieve results” during the night or by tomorrow morning at the latest.
Mike Lynch’s daughter also missing
Monday 19 August 2024 18:10
Athena Stavrou
The daughter of Mike Lynch is among those missing after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Sicily, local authorities have said.
Salvatore Cocina, director general of Sicily’s civil protection agency, told the BBC that 18-year-old Hannah Lynch was confirmed to be missing with her father, along with the yacht’s chef, Ricardo Thomas.
He added the rescue operation would continue overnight.
Authorities say they ‘should have found something by now’ as its ‘unlikely’ more survivors will be found
Monday 19 August 2024 17:59
Athena Stavrou
Italian authorities have said it doesn’t “make sense” that they haven’t found more missing people despite searching all day.
A spokesperson for Sicily’s civil protection agency told the BBC that they “must be there [in the boat]”.
“We’ve been searching all day with helicopters and boats, we’ve found nothing. That wouldn’t make sense, in this conditions we should have found something by now,” Mr Venuto added.
It comes after a spokesman for Italy’s firefighting service told The Times earlier that it was unlikely more survivors would be found.
Update from Palermo coastguard
Monday 19 August 2024 17:43
Athena Stavrou
After hours of searching, the Palermo coastguard have confirmed the body recovered from the sunken yacht this morning was the ship’s cook.
They said six passengers remain missing as the coastguard continue their search and rescue operation ‘incessantly’.
Four patrol boats, a helicopters and a team of divers are involved, in the search effort. A naval and underwater team from the Palermo fire brigade have also joined the search
The yacht is about half a mile out to sea and is 50 metres underwater
Where did the yacht sink?
Monday 19 August 2024 17:13
Athena Stavrou
The luxury yacht sunk off the coast of Palermo, Sicily.
The 56-metre long sailboat sank with 22 people on board shortly before sunrise, the Italian coast guard said in a statement.
“The wind was very strong. Bad weather was expected, but not of this magnitude,” a coast guard official in Palermo told Reuters.
Storms and heavy rainfall have swept down Italy in recent days - with floods and landslides causing major damage in the north of the country - after weeks of scorching heat.
The boat left the Sicilian port of Milazzo on 14 August and was last tracked east of Palermo on Sunday evening, with a navigation status of “at anchor”, according to vessel tracking app Vesselfinder.
UK Foreign Office statement
Monday 19 August 2024 16:57
Athena Stavrou
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office says it is supporting “a number of British nationals and their families” after a luxury yacht sunk off the coast of Sicily.
“We are providing consular support to a number of British nationals and their families following an incident in Sicily, and are in contact with the local authorities,” an FCDO spokesperson said in a statement.
What do we know about the survivors?
Monday 19 August 2024 16:52
Athena Stavrou
15 people are believed to have been rescued from a British-flagged luxury superyacht that sank in bad weather off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of the morning.
22 people are believed to have been on board, including the owner of the boat British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, who is missing.
Of the 15 people, eight are believed to have been taken to hospital to treat injuries.
Mr Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, is one of the 15 rescued.
Other survivors have been confirmed as Charlotte and James Emsley and their one-year-old daughter Sofia. They are all being treated in hospital.
“I held her afloat with all my strength, my arms stretched upwards to keep her from drowning,” Charlotte told local media. “It was all dark. In the water I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I screamed for help but all I could hear around me was the screams of others.”
What was the ship that sunk called?
Monday 19 August 2024 16:33
Athena Stavrou
The ship that has sunk off the coast of Sicily with British technology tycoon Mike Lynch was called the Bayesian.
It had completed a number of sailings in recent days, calling at various ports in Sicily, according to ship-tracking website VesselFinder.
The superyacht can accommodate up to 12 guests in six suites, and is listed for rent for up to 195,000 euros (£166,000 ) a week.
56-metre sailing yacht was built in 2008 by Italian company Perini Navi.
Her registered owner is listed as Revtom Ltd, which is based on the Isle of Man.
CCTV shows intensity of storm which capsized superyacht off Italy coast
Monday 19 August 2024 16:22
Athena Stavrou
CCTV footage posted on Facebook shows the storm that blew through parts of Sicily overnight on Sunday and Monday, before a yachtcarrying British tourists capsized off Palermo.
One person died and seven are missing after the British-flagged vessel - named by the coast guard as the Bayesian - capsized and sank at about 5am on Monday 19 August.
The Independent understands that British tech tycoon Mike Lynch is among six people missing after the 56-metre (184-foot) yacht sank.
Footage shows the storm in the village of Santa Nicolicchia.
Lynch told journalist he was ‘about to go on a very long holiday'
Monday 19 August 2024 16:05
Athena Stavrou
The British technology tycoon currently amongst those missing from a sunken super-yacht off the cost of Sicily told a journalist he was “about to go on a very long holiday” just last month.
Mike Lynch, 59, had spent more than a year under house arrest in the US when he was finally cleared of conducting a massive fraud relating to an 11 billion dollar sale to US company Hewlett Packard (HP).
Upon his acquittal, he told Sunday Times journalist Danny Fortson that he was ready to take a “big deep breath” and relax with his family.
In the interview he said: “It’s bizarre, but now you have a second life. The question is, what do you want to do with it?”
I am reeling from this news about Mike Lynch. The terrible irony is that when we sat down last month, he made it clear that he felt he had won a new lease on life, that his acquittal in America gave him a "second life." Read here. https://t.co/XFtwMYPcL8
— Danny Fortson (@dannyfortson) August 19, 2024
Watch: Captain describes moment British tycoon's luxury yacht started to sink off Sicily coast
Monday 19 August 2024 15:56
Athena Stavrou
Pictured: Emergency services at scene of search for missing boat in Sicily
Monday 19 August 2024 15:42
Athena Stavrou
British mother rescues her baby from waters after superyacht capsizes off Italian coast
Monday 19 August 2024 15:25
Athena Stavrou
A baby is among those being treated in hospital after a superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily, with her mother revealing how she rescued her.
Six tourists, including British technology tycoon Mike Lynch, are missing after the luxury boat Bayeasian capsized in bad weather at about 5am near Palermo. One of the survivors, a 35-year-old British mother named Charlotte, told Italian media outlet la Reppublica how she held her one-year-old daughter, called Sofia, above her head to save her from drowning.
“For two seconds I lost my baby in the sea, then I immediately hugged her again amid the fury of the waves,” she said. “I held her afloat with all my strength, my arms stretched upwards to keep her from drowning,’ she added.
“It was all dark. In the water I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I screamed for help but all I could hear around me was the screams of others.”
Read the full story here:
Who is missing billionaire Mike Lynch
Monday 19 August 2024 15:02
Rachel Hagan
British tech tycoon Mike Lynch is among the six people missing after a superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily, The Independent understands.
The 59-year-old is known for founding Invoke Capital and Autonomy Corporation and has been in the headlines after he was cleared of charges in a high-profile fraud case.
Sources have also confirmed that Mr Lynch is the owner of the vessel.
Once dubbed the “British Bill Gates”, Mr Lynch and his wife Angela Bacares were valued at £852m in 2023 by the Sunday Times Rich List.
His disappearance following the superyacht disaster comes just weeks after he was cleared of all charges by a US jury related to the sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011.
Eight of the 15 rescued taken to hospital
Monday 19 August 2024 14:44
Alex Ross
Eight of the 15 people rescued and taken to shore at Porticello were taken to hospital.
One body was found near the wreck, but six others were unaccounted for, said Luca Cari, a spokesperson for the Italian fire rescue service.Rescue crews located the vessel at a depth of 50 meters (163 feet) off Porticello and deep-water police divers were trying to access the hull, Mr Cari said.
The operations, which were visible from shore, involved helicopters and rescue boats from the coast guard, fire rescue and civil protection service.
Fisherman Francesco Cefalu’ said he had seen a flare from shore at around 4.30 a.m. and immediately set out to the site but by the time he got there, the Bayesian had already sunk, with only cushions, wood and other items from the superyacht floating in the water.
“But for the rest, we didn’t find anyone,” he said from the port hours later.
He said that he immediately alerted the coast guard and stayed on site for three hours, but didn’t find any survivors. “I think they are inside, all the missing people.”
'Prayers at this moment are for the missing'
Monday 19 August 2024 14:27
Rachel Hagan
The mayor of Palermo has said he is praying for the missing as the rescue operation continues.
Roberto Lagalla told the Italian newspaper Giornale di Sicilia: "My prayers at this moment are with those missing in the shipwreck of the sailing boat in Porticello. My closeness goes to the passengers and crew members rescued.
"I also express my heartfelt thanks to the coastguard, the firefighters and the entire rescue machine that was immediately activated and is still carrying out operations."
Bayesian owner Mike Lynch is among missing while British tech mogul's wife among rescued
Monday 19 August 2024 14:25
Tara Cobham
British technology entrepreneur Mike Lynch is among six people missing after his British-flagged luxury superyacht sank in bad weather off the coast of Sicily, The Independent understands, while his wife, Angela Bacares, is among the 15 people who were rescued.
Sources have also confirmed that he is the owner of the vessel.
A representative for Dr Lynch declined to comment.
Body is believed to be Bayesian’s chef, according to local media
Monday 19 August 2024 14:13
Tara Cobham
The body found after a luxury yacht sank in bad weather off the coast of Sicily is believed to be that of the vessel’s chef, according to local media.
The body was found near the wreck at a depth of 50m (164ft), fire and rescue services said.
British tech entrepeneue Mike Lynch is missing after yacht sinks, says source
Monday 19 August 2024 13:42
Tara Cobham
British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch is missing after the superyacht Bayesian sunk off the coast of Sicily, a person familiar with the rescue effort has told Reuters.
Mapped: Bayesian yacht sunk in front of Porticello in Palermo
Monday 19 August 2024 13:08
Tara Cobham
Child and owner of British-flagged superyacht still missing, says local captain
Monday 19 August 2024 12:59
Tara Cobham
A child and the owner of the Bayesian superyacht are among those still missing, the captain of a nearby boat has said.
In an update to an earlier post, Karsten Borner told Reuters that the owner of the sunken ship and another child were among those missing.
The details of the owner are unknown but the yacht’s registered owner is listed as Revtom Ltd.
There is little publicly available online information about the company, which appears to be based on the Isle of Man.
Captain wouldn’t moor if seen severe weather warnings, claims Maritime Search and Rescue Council chair
Monday 19 August 2024 12:57
Rachel Hagan
The Bayesian’s captain would not have moored if they had seen severe weather warnings, the chair of the Maritime Search and Rescue Council has claimed to The Independent.
Matthew Schanck said: “If the captain onboard saw severe weather warnings, I am confident the captain wouldn’t have moored. Also with it being a luxury yacht passenger, comfort is a huge part. The captain wouldn’t have anchored if the conditions were going to be unsafe or uncomfortable for the guests.
“Everything is unclear at the moment. A tornado is a freak incident.”
He said CCTV from the surrounding areas showing the masts suggests a large squall, which is a sudden, sharp increase in wind speed that lasts a few minutes, could have impacted the vessel.
Prosecutors have opened an investigation into the incident.
A spokesperson for the company that manages the boat, Camper and Nicholsons International, said their priority is “assisting with the ongoing search and providing all necessary support to the rescued passengers and crew”.
Captain of rescue ship describes moment he picked up survivors
Monday 19 August 2024 12:53
Rachel Hagan
The captain of a nearby boat has described the moment he picked up some of the survivors from the Bayesian.
Karsten Borner told Reuters that when the storm hit he turned his engine on to keep control of the vessel and avoid a collision with the superyacht.
“We managed to keep the ship in position and after the storm was over, we noticed that the ship behind us was gone,” Mr Borner said.
He said that his crew then found some of the survivors on a life raft, including three who were seriously injured and took them on board before the coast guard picked them up.
He confirmed that “a little baby and the wife of the owner” were among the survivors. Describing the conditions, Mr Borner said the Bayesian “went flat on the water and then down.”
He continued: “There was a light and we saw that the ship was aside and then we saw a triangle. So I think she went back down.”
Divers and helicopter search wreck site
Monday 19 August 2024 12:43
Rachel Hagan
A video of the search and rescue operation has been released by the Sicilian emergency services.
#Palermo, naufragio imbarcazione a Porticello: recuperato dai #sommozzatori dei #vigilidelfuoco il corpo senza vita di un uomo, all’esterno del relitto. Proseguono le operazioni di ricerca con il coordinamento in mare della @guardiacostiera [#19agosto 11:30] pic.twitter.com/Y2m9o5ohCe
— Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) August 19, 2024
Mother describes horror of ‘losing baby at sea'
Monday 19 August 2024 12:27
Rachel Hagan
The 35-year-old mother of the baby girl who was saved from the sinking yacht has told Italian media how she managed to board a lifeboat with 10 other people as the boat capsized.
Speaking to the Giornale Di Sicilia newspaper, she said: “For two seconds I lost my baby in the sea, then I immediately hugged her again amid the fury of the waves.
“I held her tightly, close to me, while the sea was stormy. Many were screaming. Luckily the lifeboat inflated and 11 of us managed to get on board.”
Baby and its mother reportedly among rescued taken to hospital
Monday 19 August 2024 12:22
Tara Cobham
A baby, along with its mother, was reportedly among those rescued and taken to hospital after the superyacht ‘Bayesian’ capsized, according to Italian news outlet Corriere.
Fifteen people were rescued from the 55m (180ft) vessel, but a further six are still missing, while one man has died.
Facts about the ‘Bayesian’ including length and owner
Monday 19 August 2024 12:11
Tara Cobham
Bayesian, the yacht which capsized in Italy believed to be carrying British passengers, is 56 metres long, according to ship tracking website VesselFinder.
She was built in 2008 by Italian company Perini Navi.
Her registered owner is listed as Revtom Ltd.
There is little publicly available online information about the company, which appears to be based on the Isle of Man.
Bayesian completed a number of sailings in recent days, calling at various ports in Sicily.
In picutres: The yacht ‘Bayesian’ that capsized and sunk off coast of Sicily in bad weather
Monday 19 August 2024 11:56
Tara Cobham
Divers ‘saw bodies through portholes’ when searching ‘Bayesian’ wreck, according to local media
Monday 19 August 2024 11:47
Tara Cobham
Divers “saw bodies through the portholes” when they were searching the ‘Bayesian’ wreck, according to local media.
Corriere Della Sera reported that the head of the Civil Protection of Sicily, Salvo Cocina, said the firefighter divers saw the corpses as the search and rescue mission continues.
Managers of ‘Bayesian’ yacht confirms vessel sank after encountering ‘severe’ weather
Monday 19 August 2024 11:37
Tara Cobham
The managers of the ‘Bayesian’ yacht has confirmed that the vessel sank after encountering “severe” weather.
Camper & Nicholsons said in a statement issued on Monday: “Camper & Nicholsons, managers of the sailing yacht Bayesian (IMO: 9503392), confirms that the vessel encountered severe weather and subsequently sank near Palermo, Italy, at around 04:30 local time on Monday, 19 August 2024.
“There were a total of 12 guests and 10 crew onboard. The Italian Coast Guard is leading search and rescue operations, and has safely recovered 15 individuals. Efforts to locate the seven missing persons continue.
“Our priority is assisting with the ongoing search and providing all necessary support to the rescued passengers and crew. More information will be provided as it becomes available.”
Alicia Kearns MP says she is ‘desperately sorry’ to hear of ‘heartbreaking’ capsizing of Bayesian
Monday 19 August 2024 11:31
Tara Cobham
Alicia Kearns MP has said she is “desperately sorry” to hear of the “heartbreaking” capsizing of the Bayesian.
In a post on X on Monday morning, the shadow foreign minister for Europe said: “Desperately sorry to hear of the capsizing of the Bayesian – a heartbreaking incident.
“My thoughts are with all the families of those lost at sea, and those recovering following the rescue operation, I’m sure the foreign office will be providing consular support to British Nationals and their families.”
Desperately sorry to hear of the capsizing of the Bayesian - a heartbreaking incident.
— Alicia Kearns MP (@aliciakearns) August 19, 2024
My thoughts are with all the families of those lost at sea, and those recovering following the rescue operation, I’m sure the foreign office will be providing consular support to British…
Watch live: Search continues as one dead and six missing after yacht sinks in Italy
Monday 19 August 2024 11:28
Tara Cobham
Watch live as a search and rescue operation is conducted in Italy after a British-flagged luxury superyacht carrying foreign tourists sank in a whirlwind and rough seas off the coast of Sicily on Monday, 19 August.
