Superyacht That Sank in Minutes Was Called ‘Unsinkable’ & ‘One of the Safest Boats’

On August 19, 2024, at around 5 a.m. local time, a tornado struck a 56-meter Bayesian yacht, flying a British flag, causing it to sink. There were 22 people onboard.

Despite a rescue operation that saved 15 people, including a mother and her baby, seven others remained unaccounted for. Among the missing were British technology tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah Lynch.

Tragically, the body of Recaldo Thomas, the yacht’s chef, was found near the wreckage. The following day, on August 20, 2024 the search efforts for the six missing tourists intensified.

It was revealed that among those still missing were Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of Morgan Stanley International, his wife, Judy Bloomer, and New York lawyer Chris Morvillo, along with his wife, Neda Morvillo.

Police divers made attempts to reach the yacht’s hull, which rested at a depth of 50 meters, but early inspections were hindered by limited access to the bridge and furniture blocking passages.

The operation was described as “complex,” with divers limited to underwater shifts of only 12 minutes. Meanwhile, tributes began to pour in for Recaldo Thomas, with his friend Gareth Williams remembering him as a “well-loved, kind human being with a calm spirit.”

On August 21, 2024, reports revealed new developments in the search efforts. Search teams discovered four bodies in the wreckage of the superyacht. Among the recovered bodies, two were identified as billionaire Mike and his daughter, Hannah.

In addition to these tragic finds, a fifth body was also located within the wreckage of the Bayesian, leaving one person still missing.

The Chief of Civil Protection confirmed that the identities of the other two recovered bodies were yet to be determined, with two men and one woman at the morgue awaiting formal identification.

Vincenzo Zagarola of the Italian Coastguard described the search for Hannah as neither “easy or quick,” likening the sunken yacht to an “18-story building full of water.”

Later in the morning, the coastguard confirmed that her body had been found. A green body bag was subsequently brought to the port of Porticello from the site of the wreck.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Lynch family announced that they were “devastated” and “in shock” following the tragic deaths of the father and daughter. Hannah’s sister, Esme, also paid tribute, referring to Hannah as her “little angel.”

Several witnesses have provided accounts of what happened before the incident. According to a statement from Italy’s coast guard, the 184-foot sailboat sank “due to a violent storm” off the coast of Palermo.

Additionally, Karsten Borner, the captain of a nearby boat, disclosed that when the winds intensified, he quickly turned on his engine to maintain control of his vessel and prevent a collision with the Bayesian, which had been anchored next to him.

“We managed to keep the ship in position and after the storm was over, we noticed that the ship behind us was gone,” Borner revealed adding that the other boat “went flat on the water, and then down.”

Borner mentioned that his crew later discovered some of the survivors on a life raft, including a baby girl and her mother. They brought the survivors on board their vessel before the coast guard arrived to take them to safety.

Survivors also shared their harrowing experiences with one of the doctors who rushed to their aid, revealing that it took only minutes for the 180-foot ship to go down.

Dr. Fabio Genco, head of the Palermo Emergency Medical Services, recalled arriving in the seaside village of Porticello just before dawn, approximately an hour after the $40 million Bayesian sank during the violent and sudden storm.

“They told me that it was all dark, that the yacht hoisted itself up and then went down,” Genco recounted. “All the objects were falling on them. That’s why I immediately made sure, by asking them questions, if they had any internal injuries,” he added.

Genco stated that it seemed the survivors had only minutes to abandon the sinking ship. He added that the survivors mentioned they suddenly found themselves thrown into the water without even realizing how it happened, and that the entire ordeal seemed to have lasted only three to five minutes.

This tragic incident has taken many experts by surprise, raising more questions than answers about the sinking of the yacht, which had been considered “unsinkable.” Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, emphasized that there were no flaws in the design or construction of the superyacht.

He affirmed that the vessels, including the Bayesian, are “the safest in the most absolute sense.” The Italian Sea Group also owns the firm responsible for building Mike’s yacht.

Costantino expressed his confidence in the craftsmanship of Perini boats, stating, “Being the manufacturer of Perini [boats], I know very well how the boats have always been designed and built.”

He further emphasized that “sailing ships are renowned to be the safest ever,” and noted that their structure and keel make them “unsinkable bodies.”

Costantino shared that the news of the sinking left him in a state of both sadness and disbelief. He remarked that the incident seemed like “an unbelievable story, both technically and as a fact.”

Costantino expressed his views on the tragedy in another interview, stating that a series of significant errors led to the disaster. He questioned why the passengers were in the cabins and why the boat was anchored despite the forecasted storm.

The CEO emphasized that the storm was predictable and clearly indicated on weather maps, suggesting that the crew’s lack of awareness was inexplicable.

He pointed out that no fishermen from Porticello were out that night, highlighting that even they had read the weather conditions accurately, whereas the ship’s crew seemingly did not.

Costantino explained that “one of the safest boats” was unsinkable under normal circumstances, except when it took on water. He noted that the incident would have posed no risk if the correct maneuvers had been executed and if certain conditions hadn’t compromised the ship’s stability.

He indicated that they had analyzed a few key aspects of the event. Costantino explained that the ship lost its anchor grip and was dragged by the wind, drifting for four minutes before sinking.

The businessman believes the yacht had already started taking on water during this time, citing video evidence where the ship’s mast lights went out, except for a battery-powered light at the top. Costantino responded that to avoid the shipwreck, the crew should have taken several precautions during the weather warning.

He advised that the crew should have canceled any events, secured the hull and deck by closing all doors and hatches, gathered the guests at the ship’s assembly point, started the engines, and either raised or released the anchor automatically.

The ship should have then been positioned bow-first into the wind with the keel lowered, allowing them to safely resume their journey the next morning without any damage.

Costantino suggested that mistakes were made by the crew, implying that the tragedy could have been avoided with proper actions. He mentioned that the storm wasn’t severe and could have been managed, as demonstrated by the nearby vessel.

While there was speculation about an open stern door contributing to the sinking, he emphasized the greater risk posed by the left door, which may have been open. He also pointed out that a Perini ship had previously withstood Hurricane Katrina, arguing that this incident should have been manageable.

Costantino concluded that the guests were likely trapped because they were still in their cabins when the ship began to take on water, highlighting the difficulty they would have faced in escaping.

After learning about the developments in the case, online users reacted on social media as some made assumptions of what may have transpired. “All the staff lived. It was a set up,” commented one Instagram user. Another echoed, “This sounds like a murder mystery kinda of thing.”

Someone else noted, “These are the terrible causes of yacht sinking,” while one expressed, “It’s such a tragic way to die. I cannot stop thinking of this horrible story.”

Italian public prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio announced that his office has launched a preliminary investigation into manslaughter and negligent shipwreck against unidentified individuals.