Get you up to speed: Investigators confirm yacht sinking not caused by storm, probe ongoing
The sinking of the £30 million Bayesian superyacht, owned by British billionaire Mike Lynch, occurred off the coast of Sicily in August 2024, resulting in the deaths of seven people. Investigators have confirmed that the weather conditions were insufficiently severe to capsize the vessel, indicating that improper actions led to its sinking.
Investigators have concluded that the sinking of the Bayesian yacht was not caused by a storm, stating that the weather conditions were only a ‘squall’ and manageable for the crew. The yacht’s owner, Italian Sea Group (TISG), is suing Mike Lynch’s widow for £400 million, attributing the incident to crew negligence.
Prosecutors are now considering whether to bring charges of manslaughter and negligent shipwreck against the captain and two crew members of the Bayesian. The yacht’s owner, Italian Sea Group (TISG), has sued Mike Lynch’s widow for £400 million, claiming that the crew’s negligence caused the sinking and resulted in lost sales.
Bayesian yacht sinking which killed British billionaire ‘wasn’t down to storm’ | News World
British tech tycoon Mike Lynch with his daughter Hannah who were killed in the Bayesian yacht sinking (Picture: PA)
The sinking of the Bayesian superyacht ‘wasn’t down to storm’ as investigators confirm the weather was not bad enough to capsize the vessel.
The £30 million boat, which was owned by British billionaire Mike Lynch, sank off the coast of Sicily in August 2024 killing seven people, including Mike and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah.
Investigators found the intensity of the weather amounted to ‘little more than a squall, a sudden increase in wind speed that precedes thunderstorms and downpours’.
This should have been manageable for the crew, and the yacht sank due to improper actions according to the preliminary findings.
Prosecutors are now considering whether they can bring any charges of manslaughter and negligent shipwreck for the captain and two of its crew.
Mike was onboard with 11 other guests – including his daughter, who died, and his wife, Angela Bacares, who was rescued – and 10 crew members.
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Hannah and Mike Lynch, who died after the luxury yacht Bayesian sank in a storm (Picture: Family Handout/PA Wire)
Investigators found the intensity of the weather amounted to ‘little more than a squall, a sudden increase in wind speed that precedes thunderstorms and downpours’ (Picture: EPA/PERINI NAVI)
The other victims were the yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas; Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy Bloomer; and Mr Lynch’s lawyer, Chris Morvillo, and his wife, Neda Morvillo.
Reporters questioned Ambrogio Cartosio, public prosecutor, on why most of the crew left the boat while a number of guests still remained, when the usual practice when there is an emergency is for guests to leave first.
Prosecutors said they were ‘concentrating on this particular aspect’.
They added that they wanted to ‘discover how much [crew] knew and to what extent all the people [passengers] were warned’.
There is no legal obligation for the captain, crew and passengers to stay in Italy ‘but we expect them to cooperate fully in the investigation’, prosecutors added.
According to reports, Mr Lynch and the group were on holiday celebrating after Mr Lynch was acquitted of fraud in June following a high-profile court case over the company’s sale.
The yacht’s owner, Italian Sea Group (TISG), has blamed the crew for the sinking and sued Mr Lynch’s widow for £400million, claiming the company lost sales after the disaster.
TISG’s majority owner, Giovanni Costantino, an Italian yachting millionaire, claimed that the crew’s incompetence and negligence led to the tragedy on August 19, 2024 – insisting that the yacht was ‘unsinkable’.
Mr Costantino also said the fact that the yacht took 16 minutes to sink meant there was ample time for the passengers and crew to be saved.
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