Sunken $40 Million Yacht That Killed Seven To Be Raised Off Sicily This Weekend

The superyacht that sank last year off the coast of northern Sicily, killing seven people including British tech billionaire Mike Lynch and his daughter, is set to be lifted from the seabed this weekend, according to officials leading the recovery.

The 56-meter (184-foot) vessel, named Bayesian, went down on August 19, 2024, during a violent and sudden weather while anchored off the fishing village of Porticello, near Palermo.

Among those who died were 59-year-old Mike Lynch, founder of software giant Autonomy, and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah. The tragedy also claimed the lives of British banker Jonathan Bloomer, 70, his wife Judy, 71, U.S. lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda, and Canadian-Antiguan chef Recaldo Thomas.

In total, fifteen people survived the sinking, including nine crew members and six guests. Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, was among those rescued.

The yacht sank rapidly, within just 16 minutes, after being hit by winds exceeding 117 km/h (73 mph), according to an interim report released by the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB). Investigators said that the yacht was structurally vulnerable to strong winds, although the owner and crew were likely unaware of the risk.

The vessel’s mast, which measured 72 meters (236 feet), was one of the tallest in the world. On Tuesday, it was carefully removed using a remote-controlled cutting device and placed on the seabed to be retrieved later. This key step helped shift the yacht slightly, making it easier to thread lifting straps underneath its hull.

Preparations for the final lift are now underway. Crews will fit hoses and plugs into the fuel tank vents and use eight steel lifting straps to tilt the yacht upright. The actual lifting will be performed using Hebo Lift 10, one of Europe’s most powerful marine cranes.

The Bayesian currently rests 50 meters below the surface, with its stern lodged in compact seabed clay, which had previously slowed salvage efforts. If all goes according to plan, the ship will be brought to the surface by Saturday or Sunday, then towed 12 miles to the port of Termini Imerese.

Once there, it will be secured on a custom-built steel cradle and left to dry out for several days before authorities begin their official inspection.

Italian prosecutors, who are leading the investigation into the sinking, are stationed in Termini Imerese. They are working alongside UK officials to determine exactly what went wrong. Both nations consider the recovery of the vessel essential for a full technical and legal review.

Three surviving crew members, New Zealand skipper James Cutfield and British crewmen Tim Parker Eton and Matthew Griffith, are currently under investigation for possible charges related to causing a maritime disaster and multiple counts of manslaughter.

Prosecutors are examining whether watertight doors and hatches were properly closed before the storm struck. Weather warnings had reportedly been issued in advance.

The salvage operation, estimated to cost around £20 million, has been led by British firm TMC Marine. Nearly 70 specialists from across Europe have been working at the scene. The work began two months ago but faced major setbacks, including rough sea conditions and the death of Dutch diver Rob Huijben on May 9 during underwater operations. After this incident, most of the tasks were shifted to remote-controlled equipment to reduce diver risk.

TMC Marine’s head of naval architecture, Marcus Cave, said the team had made rapid progress over the past week, allowing the timeline for the yacht’s recovery to be brought forward. He confirmed that if everything proceeds safely, the Bayesian will be lifted this weekend and transported to the authorities for inspection on Monday.

The superyacht trip had been organised by Lynch as a celebration of his acquittal in a U.S. fraud case involving the $11 billion sale of Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard. He and his daughter were said to have lived near London, while the Bloomers were from Sevenoaks in Kent.

References: Reuters, dailymail

Source: Maritime Shipping News