Salvage Operation For Mike Lynch’s Superyacht, Which Killed 7, To Begin Soon

Preparations are underway to recover the wreck of Bayesian, the luxury yacht that sank off the coast of northern Sicily in August 2024, killing seven people including British tech billionaire Mike Lynch and his daughter.

The full lifting operation is expected to begin within the next two weeks.

The 56-meter-long (184-foot) Bayesian, which featured a towering 72-meter mast, was anchored near the small port town of Porticello when it likely encountered a violent downburst-a sudden, powerful downward wind, during the early hours of August 19.

The vessel capsized from the stern and sank within just 16 minutes.

The tragic sinking claimed the lives of seven people, including Lynch, his daughter Hannah, and onboard cook Recaldo Thomas. However, Lynch’s wife Angela Bacares, the remaining six passengers, and all nine crew members survived the sudden disaster.

Since then, the yacht has remained lying on its starboard side at a depth of 49 meters under the sea. The wreck has drawn international attention not only because of Lynch’s prominence-he was often called “The Bill Gates of Britain”-but also due to the questions surrounding how a modern, well-built yacht could go down so fast.

Bayesian was built in 2008 by luxury yacht manufacturer Perini Navi, a company now owned by the Italian Sea Group (TISGR.MI). According to marine experts, a vessel of its size and quality, measuring 534 tonnes, should have been able to withstand the stormy conditions. They also said it should not have sunk as rapidly as it did.

Salvage work is being led by UK-based maritime consultancy TMC Marine. The team includes a joint venture of Dutch firms HEBO Maritiemservice and Smit Salvage. Before raising the yacht, the 72-meter mast will be cut off to allow for a smoother and safer lifting process.

TMC Marine said on Thursday that, depending on weather and sea conditions, the salvage process will move forward step-by-step-first cutting the mast, then righting the yacht, and finally lifting it. This full process is expected to begin within 10 to 12 days.

Preparatory activities are already underway at the site. Work is being carried out offshore from a large 700-square-meter floating platform. An underwater robot is also surveying the vessel and inspecting the condition of its tanks, which still contain 18,000 liters of diesel fuel.

Once lifted, the Bayesian will be transported by one of Europe’s strongest floating cranes, the HEBO Lift 10. The wreck will then be towed to the port of Termini Imerese, located about 40 kilometers east of Palermo.

Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into the sinking and are currently focusing on three crew members for potential charges of manslaughter. These include Captain James Cutfield, sailor Timothy Parker Eaton, and night watch crewman Matthew Griffiths.

According to a document from prosecutors, Griffiths may have failed to notice the worsening weather in time, while Eaton is suspected of reacting too late after detecting water entering the yacht from the stern. Both are accused of not warning the captain promptly.

Meanwhile, Captain Cutfield is suspected of not taking appropriate steps during the emergency and of failing to warn passengers about the looming danger. None of the three individuals under investigation have commented publicly on the allegations so far.

On Wednesday, lawyers and technical experts representing all involved parties gathered in Porticello to oversee the progress of the upcoming recovery. A lawyer representing the family of cook Recaldo Thomas told journalists that the recovery might not be the final key to the investigation, but it is still an important part of the process.

The lawyer also revealed that data already retrieved from the sunken yacht-including video footage from onboard cameras and navigation system records-will be shared with legal representatives in June.

Giovanni Costantino, CEO of Italian Sea Group, which now owns Perini Navi, previously dismissed any design or structural faults as the cause of the sinking. He blamed what he called a series of “indescribable, unreasonable errors” by the crew and stated that the vessel took on water, though the source of the flooding will be determined by the investigation.

At the time of the accident, another yacht was anchored close to the Bayesian. That vessel survived the storm without damage. Its captain later reported seeing the Bayesian tip over and sink within minutes.

Reference: Reuters

Source: Maritime Shipping News