- Four corpses were retrieved from the submerged luxury vessel.
Three days post the sinking of the lavish yacht "Bayesian" off the Sicilian coast, four lifeless bodies have been retrieved from the submerged vessel. These individuals were identified inside the yacht at around 50 meters depth by skilled divers, as reported by Italian news agency Ansa, citing authorities.
Initially, only the body of the boat's cook was recovered. The possibility of a loss of life totaling seven individuals is dreaded. The specifics of the mishap, which transpired on Monday approximately 900 meters away from the shore, continue to elude clarification.
The wounded captain of the "Bayesian" was subjected to an extended interrogation by law enforcement. As reported by "La Repubblica," he stated, "We didn't anticipate it." Initially, there were 22 individuals aboard at the British billionaire Mike Lynch's invitation. The 59-year-old and his 18-year-old daughter are believed to be among the deceased, while his wife survived.
Hypotheses regarding the demise of the Sicilian sailing yacht
The sunken ship is reported by the fire department to have leaned to one side on the seabed, making the search for survivors significantly more challenging. On Tuesday, skilled divers from the fire department initiated initial investigations in rooms beneath the bridge before reaching the passenger accommodations on the lower deck. The likelihood of encountering anyone alive has dwindled considerably.
The 56-meter-long "Bayesian" sank early Monday morning during a severe storm near the Porticello port, not far from Palermo's capital – reportedly within 60 seconds. Experts are still perplexed over how this could have occurred. Conjectures include an unsecured hatch during a rogue wave or an incorrectly positioned rudder that regulates the ship's draft.
Renovated luxury yacht in 2020
The 15-year-old luxury yacht underwent a comprehensive renovation in 2020. The vessel was fitted with a system that could decrease its draft by half: under regular sailing conditions, it had a keel depth of nearly ten meters when the movable rudder was fully extended, enabling it to counterbalance the forces of the 75-meter-tall mast. The draft could be reduced to about four meters – for instance, to enter a harbor.
Mike Lynch, often referred to as the "British Bill Gates" by his homeland's tabloid media, sold his software company Autonomy to US conglomerate Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion (currently €9.94 billion) in 2011 – one of the worst tech acquisitions in Silicon Valley history.
Lynch and his former financial manager Steve Chamberlain, who was recently struck by a car while jogging, were accused of misleading Hewlett-Packard about the company's financial status. However, a jury in San Francisco acquitted both of them.
The 59-year-old billionaire Mike Lynch, who was among the guests on the yacht, is believed to be one of the deceased. Prior to the incident, Lynch had invited 22 individuals to join him on board the "Bayesian".
