The Bayesian sank in a Black Swan combination of weather and other -still to be ascertained- circumstances off the Sicilian coastline on 19 August 2024. Seven lives were lost. Among the deceased were the yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas, owner Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah. 15 of the 22 individuals aboard, survived, including the owner’s wife, Angela Bacares, and nine crew members. The captain, engineer, and deckhand are under investigation for manslaughter but have yet to be formally charged.
Numerous salvage plans are now under consideration
Yachtbuilder Perini Navi, claims the yacht was “unsinkable” and blames the incident on human error. Prosecutor Cammarano’s inquiry aims to establish if negligence, such as unsecured doors, or a design flaw contributed to the sinking. Sensitive information stored in watertight safes aboard will also be retrieved during this process.
The salvage operation is scheduled to begin mid-January and conclude by February, pending approval from the Italian Coast Guard and Civil Protection agencies.
The yacht is allegedly insured for about $2.1 billion
The vessel currently lies at a depth of 50 meters, on its side. Salvage operations are estimated to cost around $30 million and are reportedly being coordinated by a group of insurers. The plans emphasize maintaining the yacht’s structural integrity to support ongoing inquiries into potential negligence or design flaws. The focus will be on safeguarding the yacht’s 534-ton structure and its 72-meter mast while mitigating environmental risks posed by the 18tons of diesel still onboard. Some suggested techniques include harness systems and buoyancy methods. Once stabilized and brought to the surface, the yacht is anticipated to be transported to Palermo, located 8.4 nautical miles away, for forensic analysis by law enforcement.
