What led to the sinking of the Bayesian superyacht off Italy’s coast?

One of the world’s largest and most luxurious sailing superyachts, the 56-metre Bayesian, sank off the coast of Sicily, Italy in the early hours of Monday. The vessel, owned by British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, was caught in a sudden and violent storm, reportedly leading to its sinking.

The yacht, which had a British flag and was managed by Camper & Nicholsons, was anchored near Palermo when it encountered severe weather conditions. This event resulted in one death, with six other individuals, including Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, still missing.

A total of 22 people were aboard the yacht at the time of the incident, consisting of 12 passengers and 10 crew members.

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The Italian coastguard confirmed that 15 people were rescued, including Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, but the chef’s body was recovered near the wreckage, and the search continues for the others who are still unaccounted for.

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What may have led to the sinking?

The weather conditions on the night of the incident were described as extremely severe, with a powerful storm generating waterspouts — rotating columns of air and mist — over the sea. The Italian coastguard reported that the Bayesian was anchored when it was struck by these intense winds.

The skipper of a nearby vessel, Karsten Borner, described the scene as the yacht’s 72-metre aluminium mast — the tallest in the world at the time of its construction — was hit by the wind, causing the yacht to tip over and eventually sink. “Bayesian went flat [with the mast] on the water, and then went down,” Borner told Reuters.

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The yacht’s design may have exacerbated the situation. Despite not having its sails up, the tall mast likely increased the “windage,” or surface area exposed to the wind, making it more susceptible to tipping in such conditions.

Furthermore, the Bayesian was equipped with a lifting keel, a system designed to reduce the keel’s depth for easier navigation in shallow waters. If this keel was in the raised position during the storm, it could have significantly compromised the yacht’s stability, contributing to its rapid sinking.

What have the survivors said?

The survivors of the incident have shared accounts of their experiences. British tourist Charlotte Golunski described how she held her one-year-old daughter Sofia above the water to prevent her from drowning.

“For two seconds I lost my daughter in the sea then quickly hugged her amid the fury of the waves,” she told Italian newspaper La Repubblica. Her partner James and the rest of their group survived because they were on deck when the yacht went down.

Golunski recounted the terrifying moment: “It was all dark. In the water, I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I screamed for help but all I could hear around me was the screams of others.”

How are the search & rescue ops going?

The ongoing search and rescue operations have been extensive, involving four patrol boats, a helicopter, and a team of divers. On Monday, the search teams identified wreckage about 50 metres below the surface.

Francesco Venuto, a spokesperson for Sicily’s civil protection agency, indicated that the missing individuals are likely trapped inside the sunken yacht, stating, “We’ve been searching all day with helicopters and boats, we’ve found nothing. That wouldn’t make sense, in these conditions we should have found something by now,” he told BBC.

Did climate change play a role in the tragedy?

Experts have suggested that climate change may have played a role in the freak weather conditions that led to the Bayesian’s sinking. The Mediterranean Sea, a favoured cruising ground for superyachts during the summer, has seen increasingly unsettled and violent weather patterns.

Last week, the Mediterranean reached a record median temperature of 28.9°C, its highest surface temperature on record. This rise in sea temperatures is believed to contribute to more extreme weather events, including the type of severe storm that struck the Bayesian.

Meteorological experts have long warned that climate change and the heating of oceans will likely trigger more intense storms, floods, and droughts, making marine safety a growing concern.

Will this incident impact how yachts are manufactured?

The sinking of the Bayesian, a yacht launched in 2008 and refurbished just four years ago, raises significant questions about yacht design and safety precautions in the face of extreme weather.

Despite advancements in yacht design, which have generally made even the smallest boats safer, the incident highlights the need for continuous improvement in safety measures and emergency protocols.

The Bayesian’s towering aluminium mast, a symbol of its grandeur and advanced design, may have inadvertently contributed to its downfall. With winds capable of tipping even the most stable vessels, the design of masts and other structural components must be reconsidered in light of increasingly unpredictable and violent weather patterns.

What next?

The incident serves as a cautionary tale for yacht skippers and owners. In areas like the Mediterranean, where weather shifts can occur suddenly and without warning, the importance of being prepared for the worst cannot be overstated.

As one Italian coastguard officer was quoted by The Financial Times, saying Bayesian’s holidaymakers and crew were just “in the wrong place at the wrong time,” but such incidents could become more common if marine safety protocols are not rigorously enforced and adapted to the changing climate.

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With inputs from agencies