A British-flagged luxury yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily last year—resulting in the deaths of U.K. tech mogul Mike Lynch and six others—has resurfaced as salvage crews near completion of a complex recovery operation.
The 56-meter (184-foot) vessel, Bayesian, with its distinctive white top and blue hull, was visible Saturday on the surface but remained partially submerged near a floating crane barge. According to TMC Maritime spokesperson David Wilson, water is still being pumped from the hull. Final lifting and stabilization procedures are ongoing, with the yacht expected to be fully out of the sea around lunchtime.
Once the lifting concludes, technical assessments of the hull will be carried out. The yacht is set to be moved on Sunday to the Sicilian port of Termini Imerese, where it will be examined further as part of a formal investigation into the sinking.
Bayesian went down on August 19, 2024, near Porticello, outside Palermo, during a violent storm. Lynch had been hosting a celebratory cruise following his acquittal two months earlier in a major U.S. fraud case. Tragically, Lynch, his daughter, and five others died in the incident. Of the 22 people onboard, 15 survived—including the captain and the rest of the crew, except for the chef.
A full criminal investigation is underway in Italy.
TMC Maritime detailed the challenging recovery, noting that the vessel had been resting 50 meters (165 feet) below the surface. Over a three-day period, salvage crews slowly raised the yacht, securing steel lifting straps, slings, and harnesses beneath its keel.
Eight steel straps are being used to stabilize and lift the yacht upright. As the vessel ascends, sea water is gradually being expelled from the hull. Once fully above water, the Bayesian will undergo checks and preparations before its final transfer.
A floating crane platform will carry the yacht to Termini Imerese, where a specially designed steel cradle awaits.
The yacht’s 72-meter (236-foot) mast is missing; it had to be cut off and left on the seabed to enable the recovery process. This allowed the hull to be tilted into an upright position suitable for lifting.
A recent interim report by British investigators concluded that Bayesian capsized due to “extreme wind” conditions. The yacht had sought shelter near the site of the incident, anticipating thunderstorms. Winds exceeded 70 knots (81 mph), and the vessel was violently tipped to a 90-degree angle in under 15 seconds, making recovery impossible.
Mike Lynch was known for founding Autonomy, a software company he sold to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion in 2011. He had been acquitted in June 2024 by a federal jury in San Francisco after years of legal battles.
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