Recovery Efforts Underway for Superyacht Tragedy
Divers Work to Recover Missing Remains
Divers are intensifying their efforts to recover the remains of those missing from the wreck of a superyacht owned by the family of British tech mogul Mike Lynch. The yacht, named Bayesian, sank off the coast of Sicily on Monday, and recovery operations have been challenging due to the vessel’s position on the seabed.
As of Wednesday, divers have successfully brought two bodies to shore in Porticello, near Palermo, and are in the process of recovering two more. So far, five bodies have been found, with one person still unaccounted for. The depth and angle of the wreck, lying at 164 feet deep and at a 90-degree angle, have made the recovery efforts particularly difficult.
Complications in Rescue Operations
The situation has been further complicated by the fact that divers can only spend about ten minutes at the dive site before needing to resurface to avoid decompression sickness, also known as “the bends.” This limited time underwater has slowed the recovery process.
Confirmed and Unconfirmed Reports
According to reports from Britain’s Telegraph, the remains of Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, were among those recovered on Wednesday. However, the civil protection chief has not yet confirmed these details.
The yacht sank during a violent storm early Monday, leaving six people missing, including Lynch and his daughter. The ship’s chef was found dead shortly after the accident. Fifteen passengers and crew members managed to escape, including Lynch’s wife, who was the owner of the yacht.
The Missing and the Impact
In addition to Lynch and his daughter, the missing list includes Lynch’s American lawyer, Chris Morvillo, and his wife Neda, as well as British banker Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International.
Lynch had recently been acquitted of serious fraud charges in the U.S., charges that could have resulted in a lengthy prison term. His co-defendant in that case, who was also acquitted, passed away in an unrelated accident just days before the yacht’s sinking.
Investigating the Cause
The incident has raised questions about how such a high-tech vessel could have sunk so rapidly while nearby boats were largely unaffected. The Bayesian was equipped with advanced safety measures, including watertight compartments designed to prevent quick sinking.
Italian prosecutors are currently investigating the incident, questioning the crew and passengers, including the ship’s captain, 51-year-old New Zealander James Catfield. One area of focus is the yacht’s keel—a retractable structure intended to provide stability. If the keel was retracted at the time of the storm, it could have made the vessel more vulnerable to capsizing.
As the investigation continues, the Italian Coast Guard has yet to confirm whether the keel was up during the accident, leaving this crucial detail yet to be resolved.