Italian prosecutors open shipwreck and manslaughter investigation into Bayesian yacht sinking
Prosecutors in Italy confirmed Saturday they opened a shipwreck and manslaughter investigation into the deadly sinking of the Bayesian superyacht, which killed a British tech tycoon and his daughter.
“We are only in the initial phase of the investigation. We can’t exclude any sort of development at present,” Termini Imerese prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio said.
No suspect has been identified in the tragedy, which left seven people dead, Cartosio added.
The probe will focus on how a vessel deemed “unsinkable” by its manufacturer, Italian shipyard Perini Navi, went under while a nearby sailboat remained largely unscathed.
There is no information yet about the ship’s black box — and authorities declined to comment on reports its hatches had been left open.
There was no timeframe on possibly resurfacing the yacht, authorities said.
News of the investigation came one day after divers retrieved the body of the last victim from the sunken wreck.
The British-flagged luxury yacht was carrying 10 crew and 12 passengers when it quickly sank stern-side around dawn on Monday.
The Bayesian rolled onto its right side as it slipped beneath the surface, prompting the victims to seek refuge in the remaining air pockets on the left side of the ship.
Despite initial reports that the yacht was felled by a waterspout, the Italian Air Force confirmed over the weekend the most likely culprit was a downburst, the BBC noted.
Downbursts occur when air races down from the base of a cloud to create a powerful wind gust. When the gust hits the ground, the wind spreads out in different directions, the outlet said.
Downbursts often only last for a matter of minutes.
They are often confused for tornadoes or waterspouts because the damage they inflict can be similar.
The cruise was meant to be a celebration for tech mogul Mike Lynch, who was toasting his recent acquittal on fraud charges with his family and people who defended him at trial in the US.
What to know after a tornado sank the yacht Bayesian off the coast of Sicily:
- A superyacht capsized off the coast of Sicily after a tornado hit the area early Monday, killing seven passengers.
- British tech tycoon Mike Lynch was identified as one of the bodies pulled from the wreckage. His teenage daughter, Hannah, was the final one to be recovered.
- Lynch — known as “Britain’s Bill Gates” — had invited guests from Clifford Chance, a legal firm that represented him, and Invoke Capital, his own company, on the voyage, according to the Telegraph.
- Security camera footage shot from 650 feet from where the Bayesian sank Monday shows it disappearing.
- A rare and unexpected “black swan” weather event may have led to the Bayesian’s speedy demise, maritime experts say.
Lynch’s body was found on Thursday. The remains of his daughter, Hannah, 18, were retrieved Friday.
Divers also recovered the remains of New York attorney Christopher Morvillo and his wife, Neda, as well as Morgan Stanley exec Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy.
Lynch’s wife, Angelea Bacares, was one of the 15 survivors.
Five bodies – including Lynch’s – were found in the first cabin on the left side of the ship, officials said.
Hannah Lynch’s remains were in the third cabin on the left.
Rescuers struggled for four days to find all the bodies in the interior of the wreck lying on the seabed 164 feet below the surface.
“The Lynch family is devastated, in shock and is being comforted and supported by family and friends. Their thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy,” a spokesperson for the family said in a statement issued Friday.
With Post wires
