Nearly a year after its tragic sinking off the coast of Sicily claimed seven lives, the superyacht Bayesian has been successfully raised from the seabed. The complex, multi-day salvage operation marks a crucial step in the ongoing investigations into the disaster.
The 56-metre (184ft) vessel, formerly owned by British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, was brought to the surface from a depth of approximately 50 metres (165ft) in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Footage shows the massive hull, appearing damaged and covered in mud, being lifted by a powerful floating crane barge as the final stages of the recovery unfolded over the past week.
A Complex Salvage Operation
Led by specialist British company TMC Marine, the salvage effort was described as exceptionally challenging. The process involved meticulously securing steel lifting straps and harnesses under the yacht’s keel and using a steel wire lifting system integrated with one of Europe’s largest marine cranes, the Hebo Lift 10. The vessel was initially eased into an upright position to allow access for placing additional support straps. Seawater was also pumped from the hull as it was slowly raised.
The operation wasn’t without its difficulties, having been temporarily halted in May after a salvage diver tragically died while working underwater. Following this incident, salvage teams increasingly utilized remote-controlled tools, including a remote-controlled diamond wire cutting tool used to detach the yacht’s 72-metre mast, a necessary step before the hull could be lifted and uprighted. The estimated cost of the intricate recovery is around $30 million (£22m).
Crucial Evidence for Investigations
The primary purpose of raising the Bayesian is to allow Italian authorities to conduct a thorough forensic examination. The vessel is expected to be transported by the floating crane platform to a special steel cradle waiting at the nearby port of Termini Imerese on Monday, where the Italian public prosecutor’s office leading a criminal investigation into the sinking is based.
Investigators in both Italy and the UK agree that accessing the wreck is crucial for fully understanding the sequence of events that led to the fatal capsize. Areas of specific focus during the examination are anticipated to include checking for any open hatches or issues with the yacht’s keel. While the captain and two British crew members are currently under investigation in Italy, this status does not equate to formal charges or imply guilt.
The Tragic Sinking
The Bayesian sank rapidly in the early hours of 19 August last year while anchored off the port of Porticello, a small fishing village near Palermo. Witnesses at the time recalled watching it disappear within “a few minutes” during what was described as “freak weather” or a violent storm.
Seven of the 22 people on board perished in the incident. Among the victims were the yacht’s owner Mike Lynch, 59, and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah. Also lost were British nationals Jonathan Bloomer, 70 (chairman of Morgan Stanley International), and his wife Judy Bloomer, 71; US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo; and Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who worked as the yacht’s chef. Fifteen people survived, including Mr. Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares.
Preliminary Findings and Remaining Questions
An interim report from the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) released last month offered preliminary insights. It suggested the Bayesian may have had vulnerabilities to high winds when operating on its engine that were “unknown to either the owner or the crew” because they were not detailed in the yacht’s stability information book.
The MAIB report, based on limited evidence available at the time, posited that winds exceeding 70 knots (81mph), potentially from a “tornadic waterspout,” “violently” hit the vessel, knocking it to a 90-degree angle in under 15 seconds and causing it to flood almost instantly. The location off Porticello had reportedly been chosen as a potential shelter from forecast thunderstorms.
Raising the yacht provides investigators with vital physical evidence that was previously inaccessible. As the recovered vessel undergoes detailed inspection, authorities hope to gain a clearer picture of the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and definitively determine the cause of the deadly sinking. Security cordons remain in place around the site, and pollution monitoring is ongoing.
