A luxury superyacht that sank off Sicily's coast last August, resulting in the deaths of UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and six others, was toppled by extreme winds and capsized within seconds, according to an interim investigation report. The UK's Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said the Bayesian, a 184-foot vessel, was hit by winds gusting over 80mph, causing it to tilt violently and flood rapidly via the stairwells, the BBC reports. Among the seven killed in the early-morning disaster were Lynch, 59, and his 18-year-old daughter. Fifteen others were onboard at the time and survived.
The vessel was anchored and had sought shelter from forecast storms, but was ultimately struck by sudden severe weather. Wind speeds increased in less than an hour from 9mph to over 80mph. Investigators report the yacht shifted to a 90-degree angle in just 15 seconds, sending people and objects tumbling; the skipper had been awakened by the deck hand just six minutes prior, the Independent reports. Survivors, including two who used furniture to improvise a ladder, escaped on a life raft and were rescued by a neighboring yacht.
The MAIB found the superyacht could be destabilized by even lighter winds, but this vulnerability was not included in its stability information provided to the crew or owner. The current investigation remains limited, as Italian authorities' ongoing criminal inquiry has restricted access to the wreck. A diver died during an ongoing recovery operation, which has now resumed. Inquests have been opened in the UK into the deaths of Lynch, his daughter, and fellow British nationals Jonathan Bloomer, the Morgan Stanley International bank chairman, and his wife, Judy Bloomer. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
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