All you need to know about the British luxury yacht ‘Bayesian’ tragedy off Sicily

What happened: The yacht, named Bayesian, departed from the Sicilian port of Milazzo on August 14. It was last tracked east of Palermo on Sunday (August 18) evening, listed as “at anchor” on vessel tracking app Vesselfinder. A coast guard official noted that while bad weather was anticipated, the storm’s intensity was unexpected. Recent storms and heavy rainfall have affected Italy, causing significant damage from floods and landslides following a period of intense heat.

Eyewitness account: The captain of a nearby boat told Reuters that when the storm hit he turned the engine on to keep control of the vessel and avoid a collision with the Bayesian. “We managed to keep the ship in position and after the storm was over, we noticed that the ship behind us was gone,” Karsten Borner told journalists. The other boat “went flat on the water, and then down,” he added. He said that his crew then found some of the survivors on a life raft – including three who were seriously injured and “a little baby and the wife of the owner” – and took them on board before the coast guard picked them up.

Missing individuals: The six missing persons include nationals from Britain, the US, and Canada. Among those missing is British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, who was recently acquitted of fraud charges in San Francisco related to the $11 billion sale of his software company, Autonomy, to Hewlett-Packard.

Rescue and medical status: Out of the 15 people rescued, eight were taken to local hospitals and are reported to be in stable condition.

Investigation and inspection: Divers are currently examining the wreck of the Bayesian, which lies at a depth of 49 meters. Prosecutors in Termini Imerese have launched an investigation into the circumstances leading to the sinking.

UK response: A UK foreign ministry spokesperson said British officials were in contact with local authorities over the incident and were ready to provide consular support for Britons who were affected.

About the yacht: The 56-metre-long (184-ft) sailboat was identified as the British-registered Bayesian and sank with 22 people on board shortly before sunrise, the coast guard said in a statement. The Bayesian was built by Italian shipbuilder Perini in 2008 and was last refitted in 2020, and was managed by yachting company Camper & Nicholsons. It won a string of awards for its design and can accommodate up to 12 guests in six suites and a crew of 10, according to online specialist yacht sites. Formerly known as Salute, or health in Italian, its 75-metre mast is the tallest aluminum mast in the world, Perini said on its website.

(With inputs from Reuters)