In a tragic maritime accident off the coast of Sicily, a luxury yacht named “Bayesian” sank early Monday, August 19, 2024, after being struck by a small waterspout—a type of tornado—resulting in the capsizing of the vessel. The Italian Coast Guard, along with air and naval forces, has been conducting an extensive search operation to locate six missing individuals, including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International, and Chris Morvillo, a prominent lawyer. Fifteen people were rescued from the wreckage, while one body has been recovered so far.
The incident occurred around 2:30 AM on Monday, August 19, when the yacht was anchored approximately half a mile from the port of Porticello on Sicily’s northern coast. According to Salvatore Cocina, head of Sicily’s Civil Protection, the yacht’s mast broke in half during the storm, causing the vessel to sink rapidly. Eyewitnesses reported witnessing hurricane-like winds and furious gales that created an avalanche of debris near the pier.
Among the missing are two Americans and four Britons. Lynch, 59, who is known for the $11 billion sale of his company to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011, was aboard the yacht with his 18-year-old daughter, who is also among the missing. Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, survived the incident. Bloomer and Morvillo, both of whom are also among the missing, were accompanied by their wives on the yacht.
“In two seconds I lost the baby in the sea, then I immediately hugged her again amidst the fury of the waves. I held her tightly, close to me, while the sea was stormy,”
One survivor, Charlotte, 35, recounted the terrifying moment she battled to hold onto her 1-year-old daughter, Sofia, as the storm raged; She told reporters from the Italian news agency ANSA.
Charlotte and Sofia were later reunited with the father, James, at a children’s hospital in Palermo.
The Italian fire brigade dispatched helicopters and divers to aid in the search efforts. However, the depth of the wreck, approximately 49 meters (160 feet) below sea level, poses significant challenges for the diving teams. According to Marco Tilotta, an inspector for the diving unit of Palermo’s local fire brigade, divers can only work at such depths for limited periods. The Italian fire brigade reported that divers reached the yacht’s hull on Monday but were unsuccessful in retrieving any additional bodies. A second dive was planned for Tuesday.
The United Kingdom’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has also deployed a team of four inspectors to Palermo to conduct a preliminary assessment of the scene. Their findings will likely contribute to a better understanding of the exact circumstances that led to the yacht’s sinking.
The “Bayesian,” built in 2008 by the Italian company Perini Navi, was a 56-meter (184-foot) luxury yacht with a mast that stood 72.27 meters (237 feet) high above the designated water line—just short of the world’s tallest mast, which measures 75.2 meters, according to Guinness World Records. The yacht, which has been available for charter for $215,000 (€195,000) per week, was reportedly named after the statistical theory on which Lynch built his fortune.
Local weather conditions on the night of the accident were extreme, with heavy storms lashing Sicily and bringing torrential rain. Preliminary reports suggest that the small waterspout, which formed over the area early Monday morning, could have been responsible for the yacht’s capsizing. Waterspouts are spinning columns of air that form over water and are often accompanied by high winds, high seas, hail, and dangerous lightning. These phenomena are typically seen over tropical oceans, but they can develop almost anywhere given the right conditions.
The Mediterranean Sea has been experiencing unusually high temperatures this summer, which may have contributed to the formation of the waterspout. Last week, the Mediterranean Sea recorded a record daily median temperature of 28.9 degrees Celsius (84 degrees Fahrenheit), according to preliminary data from the Institute of Marine Sciences in Spain. In the waters around Sicily, temperatures reached nearly 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), approximately 3 degrees higher than normal, according to Italian climatologist Luca Mercalli.
The search for the missing continues, though hopes are fading as time passes. Emergency workers are determined to recover all those who remain unaccounted for, but the challenging conditions and depth of the wreck make this a difficult task.
