Divers Recover 5 Bodies from Sunken Superyacht Near Sicily; One Missing

Divers discovered the bodies of five passengers in the wreckage of a superyacht that sank off Sicily. They continued searching for one more missing person. The yacht, named Bayesian, sank quickly during a storm, raising questions about why it went down so fast while a nearby sailboat remained mostly undamaged.

Rescue crews brought three body bags to Porticello port. Salvatore Cocina, head of the Sicily civil protection agency, confirmed that two additional bodies were found in the wreckage, making a total of five. The search operation had shifted from rescue to recovery due to the time elapsed and lack of signs of life.

Search Efforts and Challenges

The Italian coast guard and fire rescue divers faced dangerous conditions while searching underwater. The wreck's depth required special precautions, limiting divers to about 12 minutes per dive to avoid decompression sickness. "The longer you stay, the slower your ascent has to be," said Simon Rogerson, editor of SCUBA magazine.

Divers worked in tight spaces with floating debris and limited visibility. Luca Cari, spokesman for the fire rescue service, explained that even small obstacles could cause significant delays. "An electric panel could set us back for five hours," he said. The divers also used underwater robots that could operate for six to seven hours at a time.

Details of the Incident

The Bayesian, a 56-metre British-flagged yacht, sank early Monday while moored about a kilometre offshore. Civil protection officials believe a waterspout struck the ship, causing it to sink rapidly. Fifteen people escaped in a lifeboat and were rescued by a nearby sailboat. One body was recovered on Monday — that of the ship's chef, Recaldo Thomas from Antigua.

Thomas was born in Canada but moved to Antigua in his early 20s. His cousin David Isaac confirmed these details. Italian officials had previously listed Antigua as the nationality of someone on board.

Investigation and Speculations

The Termini Imerese Public Prosecutors Office is investigating the incident but has not identified any formal suspects yet. Questions remain about why the superyacht sank so quickly while the nearby Sir Robert Baden Powell sailboat sustained minimal damage.

Jean-Baptiste Souppez, a fellow of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects, suggested that if the yacht had a retractable keel, it might have reduced its stability. "If it had, then that would reduce the amount of stability that the vessel had," he said.

Survivors and Witness Accounts

The captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell sailboat reported minimal damage despite hurricane-strength winds. He said he kept his engines running to maintain position during the storm. "Another possibility is to heave anchor before the storm and run downwind at open sea," Karsten Bornersaid in a text message.

However, he noted that this might not have been an option for Bayesian due to its 75-metre tall mast. "If there was a stability problem caused by the extremely tall mast, it would not have been better at open sea," he added.

Technical Considerations

Yachts like Bayesian are designed with watertight sub-compartments to prevent rapid sinking even when some parts fill with water. Souppez explained that for such a vessel to sink quickly, it would need to take on water rapidly in multiple locations along its length.

The lack of signs of life and recovery of bodies led experts to conclude that the search had become a recovery effort. "I think the fact that there's been quite a lot of diving presence around the vessel and they haven't been able to pick up any signs of life inside is unfortunately not a particularly good sign," Souppez said.

The fate of six missing passengers drove the search effort, including British tech magnate Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter. Lynch's spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.

The investigation continues as authorities seek answers about what caused this tragic incident. The focus remains on understanding how such an event could occur so suddenly and ensuring all victims are accounted for.