Bayesian yacht sinking latest: Captain ‘insists he did everything he could’ to save passengers

The captain of the Bayesian has insisted that he did everything possible to save those on board the superyacht, according to local reports.

Sources close to James Cutfield, 51, told the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera that the 51-year-old New Zealander is currently living through the darkest days of his life as he is under investigation for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges.

They reportedly said Mr Cutfield repeatedly insists that he did not abandon any of the 22 passengers and crew and that he did everything could could to save them.

However, there reached a point when he could do little as the vessel had taken on too much water, they added.

Since Wednesday, Tim Parker Eaton, the engineer who was in charge of securing the yacht’s engine room, and sailor Matthew Griffith, who was on watch duty on the night of the disaster, are also under investigation for the same possible charges, their lawyer said on Friday.

British technology tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among the seven people who were killed after his superyacht capsized and went down on 19 August within minutes of being hit by a pre-dawn storm off the coast of Sicily.

Key Points

• Captain of Bayesian ’insists he did everything he could’ to save those on board

• Italian prosecutors widen probe into sinking of superyacht to two more crew members

• Mike Lynch’s wife didn’t want to leave wreck scene without family, says captain of boat near sinking

• Bayesian captain ‘exercised right to silence’ in manslaughter probe questioning, lawyer says

In Focus | How the world of yachts got supersized

Thursday 29 August 2024 01:00 , Athena Stavrou

The sinking of the 56-metre yacht Bayesian and the tragic deaths of British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his guests and boat staff have given the public a glimpse into the rarefied world of superyachts, writes Boat International’s Lucy Dunn.

There are currently 12,626 superyachts on the water around the world with 1,166 superyachts in build or on order. If you have been to a Greek island this year, or maybe the Amalfi coast, you may have glimpsed them coming in and out of harbours and wondered who owns a yacht like that. Or who can afford to charter a yacht like that – which have an average price of around £180,000 a week.

While you may think of glossy influencers and A-listers, the superyachting fraternity is where millionaires are sorted from the billionaires from the centi-billionaires; the 0.001 per centers. Rarely will you find a celebrity with the financial clout to afford a yacht owned by Lynch, these are generally under-the-radar industry titans who don’t have household names.

So, what exactly makes a superyacht super? According to Boat International, where I work, it can be applied to any boat, motor or sailing yacht which is over 24 metres in length. Size, in the superyacht world, is everything – and yachts are getting bigger all the time.

Giant masts, moon pools and explorer pods: How the world of yachts got supersized

Watch: Captain details Bayesian sinking ‘within two minutes’ after rescuing survivors

Thursday 29 August 2024 02:30 , Athena Stavrou

Ex-court appointed guard says Mike Lynch ‘became more like a family’

Thursday 29 August 2024 04:00 , Athena Stavrou

A court-appointed armed guard, tasked with ensuring Mike Lynch did not abscond while facing fraud charges, has paid tribute to the tech mogul, saying the security team “became less of a detail and more like a family”.

Rolo Igno also described “the memory of a beautiful soul” in Mr Lynch’s daughter Hannah.

Mr Igno said he had the “privilege” of spending “almost every waking moment” with Mr Lynch while he was in custody in San Francisco, describing the detail as unlike any other he had ever worked and one that was “life changing”.

“As an executive protection agent, the number one rule is simple, don’t ever get close to the principal,” he said.

“They aren’t your friends, they’re a client and the relationship is strictly professional. But with Mike, that didn’t fly with him and for me that rule quickly dissolved.”

Bayesian captain ‘exercised right to silence’ in manslaughter probe questioning, lawyer says

Thursday 29 August 2024 05:00 , Athena Stavrou

The captain of the Bayesian yacht chose not to respond to prosecutors’ questions as he was spoken to for a third time on Tuesday, his lawyer has said.

James Cutfield, a 51-year-old New Zealand national, is under investigation for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges.

“The captain exercised his right to remain silent for two fundamental reasons,” lawyer Giovanni Rizzuti told reporters. “First, he’s very worn out. Second, we were appointed only on Monday and for a thorough and correct defence case we need to acquire a set of data that at the moment we don’t have.”

Being placed under investigation does not imply guilt or mean that charges will necessarily follow. Chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio has said his team would consider each possible element of responsibility including those of the captain, the crew, individuals in charge of supervision and the yacht’s manufacturer.

The Times reported one of Mr Cutfield’s lawyers as saying that the captain is “understandably very shaken up” after the ordeal last Monday.

Watch: Moment Bayesian yacht engulfed by storm

Thursday 29 August 2024 07:00 , Athena Stavrou

Mike Lynch’s wife did not want to leave scene of Bayesian wreck without her family, says captain of boat near sinking

Thursday 29 August 2024 09:06 , Tara Cobham

Mike Lynch’s wife did not want to leave the scene of the Bayesian wreck without her family, the captain of a boat near the sinking has said.

Karsten Borner, the captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell, which helped to rescue the 15 survivors of the disaster in Sicily, told People that Angela Bacares “didn’t want to leave because her husband and her daughter were still down”.

British technology tycoon Mr Lynch and one of the daughters he has with Ms Bacares, 18-year-old Hannah, were among the seven people who were killed after his superyacht capsized and went down on 19 August within minutes of being hit by a pre-dawn storm.

Four crew members who are not under investigation have left Palermo

Thursday 29 August 2024 09:08 , Tara Cobham

Four other crew members, who have not been placed under investigation, have left Palermo.

Two of them headed for Dubai and the other two travelled to Istanbul.

Watch: Mike Lynch’s friend mourns ‘unbelievably tragic’ death after fraud trial acquittal

Thursday 29 August 2024 10:00 , Tara Cobham

Crew member under investigation over Bayesian sinking leaves Palermo, says source

Thursday 29 August 2024 11:00 , Tara Cobham

A crew member who has been placed under investigation for manslaughter and shipwreck in connection with the sinking of the Bayesian has now left Palermo, according to a source.

Sailor Matthew Griffith was on watch duty on the night the superyacht sank in Sicily, the source said.

He flew out of Palermo late on Wednesday, with the source saying he was heading for the French city of Nice.

Those under investigation have no obligation to stay in Italy but have to nominate lawyers so that the authorities have a way of remaining in contact with them.

The boat’s 51-year-old captain James Cutfield, a New Zealander, and ship engineer Tim Parker Eaton have both been put under investigation for the same crimes.

Members of yachting community signal support for captain and crew of Bayesian as some under investigation

Thursday 29 August 2024 12:00 , Tara Cobham

Members of the yachting community have signalled their support for the captain and crew of the Bayesian as some have been placed under investigation.

One wrote on social media: “Now we need those keyboard warriors and judgemental ‘know it alls’ to actually wait and listen to the unbiased actual professionals …

“I still stand in support of all Bayesian crew and if things turn sour, I propose all my friends in yachting to stand together and sign a strong petition to support the remaining survived crew to Bayesian.”

Full story: Two more crew members under investigation over sinking of superyacht Bayesian

Thursday 29 August 2024 13:00 , Tara Cobham

Two more crew members from the Bayesian are under investigation for manslaughter after seven people were killed when the superyacht sank in a storm off Sicily last week.

A judicial source said on Wednesday that Italian prosecutors are probing two more crew members in connection with the vessel’s sinking, along with its captain, after the British-flagged Bayesian capsized on 19 August while anchored off northern Sicily.

British technology tycoon Mike Lynch, his 19-year-old daughter Hannah Lynch, and five other people died when his 56-metre-long (184-foot) yacht went down within minutes of being hit by the pre-dawn tornado near the Sicilian capital of Palermo.

Read more here:

Two more crew members under investigation over sinking of superyacht Bayesian

Sinking of ‘unsinkable’ Bayesian puzzles experts

Thursday 29 August 2024 14:00 , Tara Cobham

The sinking has puzzled naval marine experts, who said a vessel like the Bayesian, built by Italian high-end yacht manufacturer Perini and deemed “unsinkable”, should have withstood the storm – and, in any case, should not have sunk as quickly as it did. Meanwhile, a nearby sailing boat remained largely unscathed.

Prosecutors in the town of Termini Imerese, near Palermo, said the event was “extremely rapid” and could have been a “downburst” – a localised, powerful wind, which descends from a thunderstorm and spreads out rapidly upon hitting the ground.

They added that their investigation would take time and would require the wreck of the Bayesian – which is lying on its right side, at a depth of around 50 metres (164 feet) – to be salvaged from the sea.

Chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio, who is heading the investigation, has said his team would consider each possible element of responsibility including those of the captain, the crew, individuals in charge of supervision and the yacht’s manufacturer.

Who was on the Bayesian?

Thursday 29 August 2024 15:00 , Tara Cobham

British technology tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among the people initially unaccounted for after his superyacht Bayesian sank in a storm off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday.

On Saturday morning, Italian authorities announced a manslaughter investigation had been launched into the deaths of seven people, after a five-day operation that has seen divers carefully navigating their way into the cabin bedrooms.

After a decade-long legal battle which had seen him extradited to the US to face an $11bn fraud case, Mr Lynch had celebrated by inviting his close friends, colleagues and those who helped him on his legal team aboard his boat as a gesture of gratitude.

My colleague Rachel Hagan outlines what we know about the 22 people on board:

Who was on Bayesian and how they were celebrating end of Mike Lynch’s court battles

Blackbox sheds light on tragic final minutes of billionaire’s superyacht trip

Thursday 29 August 2024 16:00 , Tara Cobham

It was supposed to be a summer celebration.

British tech tycoon Mike Lynch had gathered his tried and trusted lawyers who had been with him every step of the way helping him emerge unscathed from a gruelling 13-year legal battle. Twelve guests had flown into the picturesque Italian port of Porticello, near Palermo from the UK, the US, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland, to mark the end of the fraud trial that had consumed much of their lives.

But now a manslaughter investigation has been launched as Mr Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among the seven people who died after the vessel capsized during bad weather in the early hours of Monday morning.

My colleagues Barney Davis and Jabed Ahmed report:

Blackbox sheds light on tragic final minutes of billionaire’s superyacht trip

Captain of Mike Lynch’s yacht leaves Sicily on private jet

Thursday 29 August 2024 17:00 , Tara Cobham

The captain of Mike Lynch’s yacht flew out of Palermo on Thursday, 10 days after the British tech tycoon and six other people were killed when the vessel sank off the coast of Sicily.

James Cutfield left the Sicilian capital on a private jet, an investigative source said, adding the destination of the flight was unknown. Cutfield, a New Zealander, lives with his wife in Palma on the Spanish island of Mallorca.

Cutfield was put under investigation for manslaughter and shipwreck earlier this week and declined to answer questions from prosecutors on Tuesday.

Two other crew members were placed under investigation on Wednesday. Being investigated does not imply guilt and does not mean formal charges will follow.

Those facing investigation have no obligation to stay in Italy but have to nominate lawyers so that the authorities have a way of remaining in contact with them.

Final moments of seven who died in Bayesian tragedy revealed by fire service boss

Thursday 29 August 2024 18:48 , Andy Gregory

Former captain of Bayesian offers insights into yacht’s sinking

Thursday 29 August 2024 20:45 , Reuters

The swift descent of the Bayesian underwater has puzzled seafarers and nautical engineers, who say the vessel should have taken hours to fill up with enough water to sink it.

There have been suggestions that one or more portholes, windows or other openings may have been left open, or were broken or smashed by the storm, letting in water.

The yacht was capable of tilting to around 75-90 degrees, depending on whether its keel was up or down, and still revert to upright position, former captain Stephen Edwards wrote on his Linkedin profile.

He said the “Downflooding Angle”, at which water could start entering the vessel via the engine room or ventilation ducts, was 40-45 degrees, and once surpassed, would have put the yacht “in serious trouble”.

Experts have questioned if the yacht had been moored with its keel up, potentially compromising its stability, but Edwards said that under the boat’s operating rules, the keel was not required to be down while at anchor.

The keel is a fin-like stabilising structure under the hull, which can be lifted to reduce the depth of the boat in shallow waters or harbours. In the Bayesian, it could reduce the yacht’s below-water surface from around 10 to 4 metres.

Prosecutors investigating crew members ‘in a very general way’, lawyer says

Thursday 29 August 2024 22:41 , Andy Gregory

The lawyer for two Bayesian crew members under investigation has said that, similarly to the ship’s captain, his clients were under investigation on charges of manslaughter and causing a shipwreck – which does not imply guilt and will not necessarily lead to charges.

Lawyer Marco Scopesi told the New York Times that his clients were under investigation “in a very general way”, adding: “The prosecution hasn’t focused on anything specifically.”

“We’re still at the beginning” of the investigation, he told the outlet.

Captain of nearby boat says he turned on engine to avoid collision with Bayesian in storm

Friday 30 August 2024 00:34 , Andy Gregory

The captain of a nearby boat has recalled that, when the winds surged, he had turned on the engine to keep control of his vessel and avoid a collision with the Bayesian, which had been anchored alongside him.

“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 said.

The other boat “went flat on the water, and then down,” he added. He said his crew then found some of the survivors on a life raft and took them on board before the coast guard picked them up.

Bayesian ‘was one of the safest boats in the world’

Friday 30 August 2024 02:31 , Reuters

The Bayesian was built in 2008 by Perini Navi, an Italian luxury yacht maker. It featured the world’s tallest aluminium mast, measuring 72 metres (236 feet).

Giovanni Costantino, chief executive of the Italian Sea Group – which owns Perini – said the yacht was “one of the safest boats in the world” and basically unsinkable.

Footage shows moment Bayesian yacht engulfed by storm

Friday 30 August 2024 04:30 , Andy Gregory

Asylum rescue charities hit out at ‘double standard’ in media and official resources

Friday 30 August 2024 06:16 , Andy Gregory

Charities dedicated to rescuing asylum-seekers in the Mediterranean have hit out at the “double standard” highlighted by the media coverage and resources given to the Bayesian search effort.

“For us, every death in the Mediterranean is one too many, no matter where they come from or how much money they make,” the organisation Sea-Eye, who recently rescued 262 people in the Mediterranean, said in a statement to The Guardian.

They added: “Sadly, it makes a difference in the media, in our society and in politics, who is drowning. We have noticed that the coverage of the situation in the Mediterranean, of tragedies or of our rescues in recent months has not been nearly as extensive as in the case of the Sicilian shipwreck in recent days.”

Days after the Bayesian sank, distress calls relating to a dinghy carrying 43 people in the Mediterranean were ignored and the vessel was left in peril for more than 24 hours until the charity Sea-Watch got there “just in time” to rescue those onboard and in the surrounding waters, the organisation alleged.

“For the Italian and European authorities, there are Shipwrecks and then there are shipwrecks, one capitalised and the other lowercase, one immediately rescued and the other abandoned to its fate,” Sea-Watch said, adding: “There was no rescue effort by the authorities. That’s no coincidence; it’s the EU’s double standard.”

Diver who led search recalls ‘unbearable’ tension in search for Hannah

Friday 30 August 2024 08:09 , Holly Evans

A diver who led the search for Mike Lynch and his guests onboard the yacht Bayesian said that his 18-year-old daughter Hannah was the hardest to find, as he recalled the “unbearable” tension facing his team.

“The yacht was on its right hand side. All of the cabins had been invaded with floating debris, mattresses, sheets, wardrobes,” he told MailOnline.

“It was due to this large amount of floating debris that the operation progressed with difficulty.

“The cabins were dark and there was barely any visibility, so as a result the environment was hostile and the situation was getting more difficult.

“She [Hannah] was the furthest away, we are talking about a situation where to advance just a metre took four or five dives.

“It was such a relief to have found her after almost five days. The tension had been unbearable until then.”

Bayesian’s huge mast may have contributed to its demise

Friday 30 August 2024 08:10 , Andy Gregory

Hatches and doors left open overnight on the superyacht Bayesian may have caused it to sink in Italy, a sailing expert has said.

Sam Jefferson, editor of magazine Sailing Today, believes the vessel’s huge mast – the tallest in the world, at 72 metres – is also likely to have contributed to the deadly event.

Mr Jefferson told the PA news agency: “I would have said that the boat got hit very hard by the wind, it was pinned over on its side.

“I imagine all the doors were open because it was hot, so there were enough hatches and doors open that it filled with water very quickly and sank like that.

“The reason it got pinned over so hard was because the mast is huge. It acted almost like a sail. [It] pushed the boat hard over on its side.

“[The boat] filled with water before it could right. This is all speculation, but that’s the only logical explanation.”

No tornado alert in place at the time of sinking

Friday 30 August 2024 09:20 , Holly Evans

Maritime director of western Sicily Rear Admiral Raffaele Macauda said there was nothing to suggest such an extreme situation would arise.

He told a press conference that there was no tornado alert in place at the time.

Mr Cammarano added that the yacht had been hit by a downburst, which are powerful winds that descend from a thunderstorm and spread out quickly once they hit the ground.

Officials said they would be looking at how it could so badly affect the Bayesian, and not other nearby vessels.

Mike Lynch net worth: How the billionaire made his money

Friday 30 August 2024 10:30 , Holly Evans

British tech tycoon Mike Lynch was among seven people who died after the luxury superyacht Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily early on Monday morning

The 59-year-old is known for founding Invoke Capital and Autonomy Corporation and had been in the headlines after he was cleared of charges in a high-profile fraud case.

He was on the boat, named Bayesian, which sank in bad weather in the early hours of Monday near the Sicilian capital Palermo.

Read the full article here:

Mike Lynch net worth: How the billionaire made his money

Blackbox sheds light on tragic final minutes of billionaire’s superyacht trip

Friday 30 August 2024 11:40 , Holly Evans

It was supposed to be a summer celebration.

British tech tycoon Mike Lynch had gathered his tried and trusted lawyers who had been with him every step of the way helping him emerge unscathed from a gruelling 13-year legal battle. Twelve guests had flown into the picturesque Italian port of Porticello, near Palermo from the UK, the US, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland, to mark the end of the fraud trial that had consumed much of their lives.

Read the full article here:

Blackbox sheds light on tragic final minutes of billionaire’s superyacht trip

Giant masts, moon pools and pole explorer pods: How the world of yachts got supersized

Friday 30 August 2024 12:50 , Holly Evans

Last week’s sinking of the 56-metre yacht Bayesian and the tragic deaths of British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his guests and boat staff have given the public a glimpse into the rarefied world of superyachts.

From the sheer size of the mast (74 metres, roughly the size of seven two-storey houses stacked on top of each other) to the expense (Bayesian was put up for sale in 2014 with an asking price of $30m, which is around £23m), to the sheer luxury (the interiors were by Remi Tessier, the designer behind Claridge’s new penthouse), it’s a world few people normally get to see.

Read the full article here:

Giant masts, moon pools and explorer pods: How the world of yachts got supersized

Ex-court appointed guard says Mike Lynch ‘became more like a family’

Friday 30 August 2024 13:48 , Jabed Ahmed

A court-appointed armed guard, tasked with ensuring Mike Lynch did not abscond while facing fraud charges, has paid tribute to the tech mogul, saying the security team “became less of a detail and more like a family”.

Rolo Igno also described “the memory of a beautiful soul” in Mr Lynch’s daughter Hannah, 18.

Mr Igno said he had the “privilege” of spending “almost every waking moment” with Mr Lynch while he was in custody in San Francisco, describing the detail as unlike any other he had ever worked and one that was “life changing”.

“As an executive protection agent, the number one rule is simple, don’t ever get close to the principal,” he said.

“They aren’t your friends, they’re a client and the relationship is strictly professional. But with Mike, that didn’t fly with him and for me that rule quickly dissolved.”

Mike Lynch had concerns over Lucy Letby conviction, says former minister

Friday 30 August 2024 14:57 , Jabed Ahmed

Mike Lynch had questions over Lucy Letby conviction, says former minister

Captain of Mike Lynch’s yacht leaves Sicily on private jet

Friday 30 August 2024 15:54 , Jabed Ahmed

The captain of Mike Lynch’s yacht flew out of Palermo on Thursday, 10 days after the vessel sank off the coast of Sicily.

James Cutfield left the Sicilian capital on a private jet, an investigative source told Reuters, adding the destination of the flight was unknown.

Mr Cutfield, a New Zealander, lives with his wife in Palma on the Spanish island of Mallorca.

Mr Cutfield was put under investigation for manslaughter and shipwreck earlier this week and declined to answer questions from prosecutors on Tuesday.

Two other crew members were placed under investigation on Wednesday.

Who is being investigated?

Friday 30 August 2024 17:00 , Jabed Ahmed

Three people are being investigated by the Italian authorities for manslaughter after the sinking of the Bayesian yacht off the coast of Sicily.

On Monday, the boats 51-year-old captain James Cutfield, from New Zealand, was put under investigation. He declined to respond to prosecutors during questioning on Tuesday

Two British crew members are now also being investigated. Ship engineer Tim Parker Eaton and sailor Matthew Griffith are being investigated over the same crimes.

A source told Reuters that Parker Eaton is suspected of having failed to protect the yacht’s engine room and operating systems.

Being investigated does not imply guilt and does not mean formal charges will follow.

Bayesian captain ‘exercised right to silence’ in manslaughter probe questioning, lawyer says

Friday 30 August 2024 18:00 , Jabed Ahmed

Bayesian captain ‘exercised right to silence’ in manslaughter probe questioning, lawyer says

The captain of the Bayesian yacht chose not to respond to prosecutors’ questions as he was spoken to for a third time on Tuesday, his lawyer has said.

James Cutfield, a 51-year-old New Zealand national, is under investigation for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges.

“The captain exercised his right to remain silent for two fundamental reasons,” lawyer Giovanni Rizzuti told reporters. “First, he’s very worn out. Second, we were appointed only on Monday and for a thorough and correct defence case we need to acquire a set of data that at the moment we don’t have.”

Being placed under investigation does not imply guilt or mean that charges will necessarily follow. Chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio has said his team would consider each possible element of responsibility including those of the captain, the crew, individuals in charge of supervision and the yacht’s manufacturer.

The Times reported one of Mr Cutfield’s lawyers as saying that the captain is “understandably very shaken up” after the ordeal last Monday.

Watch: Moment Bayesian yacht engulfed by storm

Friday 30 August 2024 19:02 , Jabed Ahmed

Why was Mike Lynch’s yacht named the Bayesian?

Friday 30 August 2024 20:05 , Jabed Ahmed

Autonomy, the software firm which Mike Lynch sold in a £8.64bn deal in 2011, was a pioneer of business data analysis, using machine learning and what Mr Lynch called “adaptive pattern recognition”.

It used a statistical method called “Bayesian inference” at the heart of its software, devised by the 18th-century mathematician Thomas Bayes.

The yacht’s name, Bayesian, harks to the same model that was at the heart of Autonomy’s – and Mr Lynch’s – success.

Blackbox sheds light on tragic final minutes of billionaire’s superyacht trip

Friday 30 August 2024 21:02 , Jabed Ahmed

Blackbox sheds light on tragic final minutes of billionaire’s superyacht trip

Timeline of the Bayesian luxury yacht disaster: Monday 19 August – Wednesday 21 August

Friday 30 August 2024 22:00 , Jabed Ahmed

Monday 19 August

• The Bayesian yacht, flying a British flag, sinks at around 5am local time when the area was hit by a tornado.

• Fifteen people are rescued from the 55m (180ft) vessel – including a mother and baby – but another seven remain missing.

• A body, believed to be that of a chef on the boat, is later found near the wreckage

Tuesday 20 August

• The search continues for the six tourists missing.

• It is reported that among those missing are Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer; his wife, Judy Bloomer; Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo; and his wife, Neda Morvillo.

• Police divers try to reach the hull of the ship, resting at a depth of 50 metres.

• Italy’s fire brigade Vigili del Fuoco say early inspections of the wreck were “unsuccessful” because of limited access to the bridge and furniture obstructing passages.

• It is confirmed that the body recovered at the scene of the sinking on Monday was that of Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the yacht.

Wednesday 21 August

• The search for the six people unaccounted for enters a third day, with crews carrying out inspections of the yacht’s internal hull.

• A team of four British inspectors from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) arrive in Porticello to look at the site of the sinking.

• A helicopter is drafted in to help with the search effort and remotely controlled underwater vehicles are being used, with naval units and cave divers also taking part in the search.

• Five bodies are found inside the yacht on Wednesday afternoon. Only four of them are brought to shore.

Italian prosecutors widen probe into superyacht that sank off Sicily to 2 more crew members

Friday 30 August 2024 23:00 , Jabed Ahmed

Italian prosecutors widen probe into superyacht that sank off Sicily to 2 more crew members

Mike Lynch net worth: How the billionaire made his money

Friday 30 August 2024 23:58 , Jabed Ahmed

Mike Lynch net worth: How the billionaire made his money

Friend pays tribute to Bayesian chef Recaldo Thomas

01:00 , Jabed Ahmed

Recaldo Thomas was the superyacht’s chef and the first person whose death was confirmed.

The Canadian-Antiguan national was found by the Italian coastguard near the sunken boat. A friend of Mr Thomas, who asked to remain anonymous, said the yachting community has been saddened by his death.

She told The Independent: “He was a one-of-a-kind special human being. Incredibly talented, contagious smile and laugh, an incredible voice with a deep love of the ocean and the moon. I spoke to him nearly every day. He loved his life his friends and his job.”

Hannah Lynch was ‘one of the best English students in the country’, teacher says

02:00 , Jabed Ahmed

Hannah Lynch had just completed her A-levels and secured a place to study English at Oxford University.

Her former English teacher Jon Mitropoulos-Monk said she was “one of the best English students in the country” having scored 100% in her English Literature GCSE.

Patrick Jacob, a family friend, paid tribute to her on Friday, saying: “Hannah was charming and ferociously intelligent with an insatiable thirst for life and knowledge. She was also warm, loving and deeply considerate; remarkably for her age.

“I am 50 years older than her and in my life I have never met anybody like Hannah. We have lost one of our brightest stars whose future held so much promise. Her loss is unbearable.”

Watch: Final moments of seven who died in Bayesian tragedy revealed by fire service boss

03:00 , Jabed Ahmed

Members of yachting community signal support for captain and crew of Bayesian as some under investigation

04:00 , Jabed Ahmed

Members of the yachting community have signalled their support for the captain and crew of the Bayesian as some have been placed under investigation.

One wrote on social media: “Now we need those keyboard warriors and judgemental ‘know it alls’ to actually wait and listen to the unbiased actual professionals …

“I still stand in support of all Bayesian crew and if things turn sour, I propose all my friends in yachting to stand together and sign a strong petition to support the remaining survived crew to Bayesian.”

Mike Lynch’s wife did not want to leave scene of Bayesian wreck without her family, says captain of boat near sinking

05:00 , Jabed Ahmed

Mike Lynch’s wife did not want to leave the scene of the Bayesian wreck without her family, the captain of a boat near the sinking has said.

Karsten Borner, the captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell, which helped to rescue the 15 survivors of the disaster in Sicily, told People that Angela Bacares “didn’t want to leave because her husband and her daughter were still down”.

British technology tycoon Mr Lynch and one of the daughters he has with Ms Bacares, 18-year-old Hannah, were among the seven people who were killed after his superyacht capsized and went down on 19 August within minutes of being hit by a pre-dawn storm.

In Focus | How the world of yachts got supersized

06:00 , Jabed Ahmed

Giant masts, moon pools and explorer pods: How the world of yachts got supersized

Sinking of ‘unsinkable’ Bayesian puzzles experts

07:00 , Jabed Ahmed

The sinking has puzzled naval marine experts, who said a vessel like the Bayesian, built by Italian high-end yacht manufacturer Perini and deemed “unsinkable”, should have withstood the storm – and, in any case, should not have sunk as quickly as it did. Meanwhile, a nearby sailing boat remained largely unscathed.

Prosecutors in the town of Termini Imerese, near Palermo, said the event was “extremely rapid” and could have been a “downburst” – a localised, powerful wind, which descends from a thunderstorm and spreads out rapidly upon hitting the ground.

They added that their investigation would take time and would require the wreck of the Bayesian – which is lying on its right side, at a depth of around 50 metres (164 feet) – to be salvaged from the sea.

Chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio, who is heading the investigation, has said his team would consider each possible element of responsibility including those of the captain, the crew, individuals in charge of supervision and the yacht’s manufacturer.

Asylum rescue charities hit out at ‘double standard’ in media and official resources

08:00 , Jabed Ahmed

Charities dedicated to rescuing asylum-seekers in the Mediterranean have hit out at the “double standard” highlighted by the media coverage and resources given to the Bayesian search effort.

“For us, every death in the Mediterranean is one too many, no matter where they come from or how much money they make,” the organisation Sea-Eye, who recently rescued 262 people in the Mediterranean, said in a statement to The Guardian.

They added: “Sadly, it makes a difference in the media, in our society and in politics, who is drowning. We have noticed that the coverage of the situation in the Mediterranean, of tragedies or of our rescues in recent months has not been nearly as extensive as in the case of the Sicilian shipwreck in recent days.”

Days after the Bayesian sank, distress calls relating to a dinghy carrying 43 people in the Mediterranean were ignored and the vessel was left in peril for more than 24 hours until the charity Sea-Watch got there “just in time” to rescue those onboard and in the surrounding waters, the organisation alleged.

“For the Italian and European authorities, there are Shipwrecks and then there are shipwrecks, one capitalised and the other lowercase, one immediately rescued and the other abandoned to its fate,” Sea-Watch said, adding: “There was no rescue effort by the authorities. That’s no coincidence; it’s the EU’s double standard.”

Captain of Bayesian ’insists he did everything he could’ to save those on board

08:28 , Tara Cobham

The captain of the Bayesian has insisted that he did everything possible to save those on board the superyacht, according to local reports.

Sources close to James Cutfield, 51, told the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera that the 51-year-old New Zealander is currently living through the darkest days of his life as he is under investigation for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges.

They reportedly said Mr Cutfield repeatedly insists that he did not abandon any of the 22 passengers and crew and that he did everything could could to save them.

However, there reached a point when he could do little as the vessel had taken on too much water, they added.

Italian prosecutors widen probe into sinking of superyacht

11:04 , Tara Cobham

Italian prosecutors have put under investigation two more crew members of the Bayesian, the superyacht that sank off Sicily last week, killing seven people, their lawyer said on Friday.

The move widens the probe into the shipwreck, for which the ship’s captain, New Zealander James Cutfield, is already under investigation for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges.

Since Wednesday, Tim Parker Eaton, the engineer who was in charge of securing the yacht’s engine room, and sailor Matthew Griffith, who was on watch duty on the night of the disaster, are under investigation for the same possible charges, their lawyer said.

“The profile of their possible responsibilities is still unclear, as the investigation has just started,” lawyer Mario Scopesi told The Associated Press.

He added that both Parker Eaton and Griffith left Italy on Wednesday, along with Cutfield and the rest of the crew.

The three crew members were among 15 survivors of the August 19 sinking that killed British tech magnate Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah and five others.

Chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio, who is heading the investigation, has said his team will consider each possible element of responsibility including those of the captain, the crew, individuals in charge of supervision and the yacht’s manufacturer.

The Bayesian, a 56-metre British-flagged luxury yacht, went down near Sicily, in the Mediterranean.

Investigators are focusing on how a sailing vessel deemed “unsinkable” by its manufacturer, Italian shipyard Perini Navi, sank while a nearby sailboat remained largely unscathed.

Prosecutors said the event was “extremely rapid” and could have been a “downburst” – a localized, powerful wind that descends from a thunderstorm and spreads out rapidly on hitting the ground.

Watch: Mike Lynch’s friend mourns ‘unbelievably tragic’ death after fraud trial acquittal

11:05 , Tara Cobham

Who was on the Bayesian?

12:00 , Tara Cobham

British technology tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among the people initially unaccounted for after his superyacht Bayesian sank in a storm off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of 19 August.

Last Saturday morning, Italian authorities announced a manslaughter investigation had been launched into the deaths of seven people, after a five-day operation that has seen divers carefully navigating their way into the cabin bedrooms.

After a decade-long legal battle which had seen him extradited to the US to face an $11bn fraud case, Mr Lynch had celebrated by inviting his close friends, colleagues and those who helped him on his legal team aboard his boat as a gesture of gratitude.

Here’s what we know about the 22 people on board:

Who was on Bayesian and how they were celebrating end of Mike Lynch’s court battles

Ex-court appointed guard says Mike Lynch ‘became more like a family’

13:00 , Tara Cobham

A court-appointed armed guard, tasked with ensuring Mike Lynch did not abscond while facing fraud charges, has paid tribute to the tech mogul, saying the security team “became less of a detail and more like a family”.

Rolo Igno also described “the memory of a beautiful soul” in Mr Lynch’s daughter Hannah, 18, after they died in the sinking of the luxury superyacht Bayesian off the coast of Sicily early on 19 August.

Mr Lynch founded software giant Autonomy in 1996, and was cleared in June of carrying out a massive fraud relating to its 11 billion dollar (£8.64 billion) sale to US company Hewlett Packard, after a trial at a federal court in San Francisco, California.

Ellie Ng reports:

Ex-court appointed guard says Mike Lynch ‘became more like a family’

Three crew members under investigation left Italy on Wednesday

14:00 , Tara Cobham

The three crew members who are under investigation over the sinking of the Bayesian superyacht left Italy on Wednesday, according to a lawyer.

The ship’s captain, New Zealander James Cutfield, Tim Parker Eaton, the engineer who was in charge of securing the yacht’s engine room, and sailor Matthew Griffith, who was on watch duty on the night of the disaster, have all been placed under investigation for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges.

Lawyer Mario Scopesi said that both Parker Eaton and Griffith left Italy on Wednesday, along with Cutfield and the rest of the crew.

Teenager who died in superyacht tragedy was ‘diamond in sea of stars’

15:00 , Tara Cobham

The daughter of tech tycoon Mike Lynch, who died with her father on the luxury superyacht Bayesian, has been described as a “diamond in a sea of stars” by a survivor from the tragedy.

Hannah Lynch, aged 18, was one of 22 people onboard her father’s luxury boat the Bayesian when it capsized during stormy weather on 19 August.

Her body was discovered along with her father by rescue teams following the disaster off the island of Sicily. A manslaughter investigation has since been launched by Italian authorities.

Ellie Ng reports:

Teenager who died in superyacht tragedy was ‘a diamond in a sea of stars’

Watch: Moment Bayesian yacht engulfed by storm

16:00 , Tara Cobham