UPDATE: Four bodies discovered in Sicily yacht tragedy

DT·22 August 2024, 1:33 am·1 min read

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UPDATE: Four bodies discovered in Sicily yacht tragedy — Italian Coast Guards carry a body on a rescue boat in Porticello harbor near Palermo, with a third body at the back of the boat on 21 August 2024, two days after the British-flagged luxury yacht Bayesian sank. Divers searching for six missing people following the sinking of a superyacht off Sicily in a storm have found four bodies, a source close to the search told AFP. The Bayesian, which had 22 people aboard including 10 crew, was anchored some 700 metres from port before dawn when it was struck by a waterspout. Among the six missing were UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, and Jonathan Bloomer, the chair of Morgan Stanley International, and his wife Judy.
Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP

Divers have recovered four bodies from the wreck of a superyacht that sank off Sicily, increasing the confirmed death toll to five. The yacht, identified as the 56-meter "Bayesian," went down after being struck by a waterspout early Monday morning. The vessel, which had been anchored near Porticello, sank rapidly, with fifteen survivors rescued, including the wife of missing UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch.

The search continues for Lynch, his daughter, and four other missing individuals, including prominent figures such as Jonathan Bloomer of Morgan Stanley. Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene as the yacht went under in just minutes. Authorities are investigating the incident, which has been likened to a "black swan event" due to its rare and severe nature.

Questions remain about the yacht's rapid sinking, particularly whether the keel, vital for stability, was properly positioned during the storm. The investigation will also explore whether the waterspout played a crucial role in the disaster, as maritime experts describe the event as a highly unusual and severe maritime accident.