By Ezekiel David
Divers recovered four bodies Wednesday from the wreckage of the ‘Bayesian’ superyacht, which sank off the coast of Sicily earlier this week, bringing the death toll to five. One person remains missing.
The British-flagged vessel sank rapidly early Monday during a violent storm, claiming the life of the onboard chef, Ricardo Thomas, whose body was recovered Monday. Fifteen of the 22 people on board were rescued. It is unclear if those recovered on Wednesday are among the six initially reported missing.
Security footage captured the 184-foot yacht being battered by the storm and violently tossed before capsizing. Witnesses described hurricane-force winds and a possible waterspout, a type of tornado, contributing to the sinking.
‘In just 60 seconds, you can see the ship disappear,’ one witness told Italian outlet ANSA after reviewing his CCTV footage. ‘There was nothing that could be done for the vessel.’
Those still missing include British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah; Morgan Stanley International director Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy; and prominent American lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda. Angela Barcares, Mike Lynch’s wife, survived the incident.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by the depth of the wreckage, approximately 150 feet, limiting divers to 12-minute windows for exploration. The cause of the sudden sinking remains unclear.
The UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch has dispatched a team to investigate the incident.
(Source: CNN)