A luxury superyacht that sank off the coast of Sicily, resulting in the deaths of tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and six others, was overwhelmed by extreme wind and quickly flooded, according to an interim report into the disaster. The UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), which led the international investigation, stated that winds of over 80mph violently struck the vessel, causing it to tilt and flood within seconds.
The incident occurred near Portofino on August 19th of last year, during unusual weather conditions, which included reports of water spouts. Seven of the 22 people aboard the yacht, The Bayesian, were killed, including Mr. Lynch, 59, and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah. The report details how the yacht was hit by the extreme wind, leading to an immediate and steep angle that caused people, furniture, and items to fall across the deck. It was noted that there was no initial indication of flooding inside the yacht until water forcefully entered through the starboard rails and rapidly spread into the internal spaces through the stairwells.
The MAIB’s chief inspector of marine accidents, Andrew Moll, stated that the situation became irreversibly critical once the yacht tilted beyond 70 degrees. The report also highlighted that the yacht was susceptible to even lighter winds, with speeds as low as 73mph capable of causing it to capsize, a fact that was not included in the onboard stability information book. The MAIB is currently investigating the incident since The Bayesian was registered in the UK, but the final report has yet to be published due to restricted access to the wreck for further investigation by Italian authorities.
An operation to recover the 56-meter vessel from the seabed was temporarily halted after a diver’s fatal accident while working on the wreck but is set to resume. Further details on how the sinking unfolded reveal that the yacht had sailed to the area the day before to shelter from predicted thunderstorms and that the situation quickly escalated as the wind increased dramatically. Crew members were caught off guard, trying to secure windows and shutting hatches in an effort to save the ship and its passengers.
Dr. Simon Boxall, an oceanographer at the University of Southampton, commented that the crew did everything they could to respond to the extreme conditions but were ultimately caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. He emphasized that the main priority would have been to secure the vessel and start the engines to try and maneuver it through the storm, highlighting the acute time difference in reacting compared to smaller vehicles.
Mike Lynch was a significant figure in the UK tech industry, known for his investments in successful companies, though his later years were marred by a legal dispute that led to his controversial extradition to the US. Inquests in the UK are examining the deaths of Mr. Lynch, his daughter, and other British nationals, including Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy, and others killed in the tragedy. Fifteen individuals managed to escape on a lifeboat, including Mr. Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c331djzymz6o
