On Sunday, specialists in marine salvage launched a complex operation to recover the British-flagged superyacht, Bayesian, from the seabed near Sicily where it sank during the previous summer. The tragedy, which occurred on August 19, claimed the lives of UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah, and five others.
The Italian coast guard has confirmed that it is overseeing the operation, ensuring a secure perimeter for the safety of personnel involved in the recovery effort. Captain Nicola Silvestri of the Italian Coast Guard stated, “With the use of underwater operators and remote-controlled robots, ROVs (remotely operated vehicles), preparations for the vessel’s lifting will take approximately one week.”
The powerful maritime crane ‘Hebo Lift 10’, one of Europe’s most capable, arrived in Termini Imerese port from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on Saturday to aid in the operation. Around 70 marine experts from across Europe have convened in Sicily, supported by a dozen logistical specialists working from the shore.
The Bayesian, a 56-metre long yacht weighing 473,000 kg, sank swiftly within sixteen minutes, just before dawn on August 19 last year. The vessel was anchored 300 metres from Porticello, a small fishing port located 15 kilometres east of Palermo, Sicily, when it began to take on water.
Of the 12 passengers and 10 crew members aboard, seven remained on the yacht as it sank. Meanwhile, 15 individuals were able to escape using a life raft, assisted by nearby boats. Tragically, UK tech magnate Mike Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy, attorney Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda, and the ship’s cook, Recaldo Thomas, could not escape and perished.
Following extensive search operations that concluded by August 23, the bodies of six of the missing individuals were found, while one body was recovered during the initial emergency rescue after the sinking.
Investigations by Italian prosecutors are ongoing to determine the cause of the tragedy, with potential charges being considered against the ship’s captain and two crew members for their roles in the incident.
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