Chilling footage of divers exploring the doomed Bayesian superyacht has been released for the first time, two months after it tragically sank off the coast of Porticello, Sicily. The video shows a team of divers investigating the remains of the £30 million luxury yacht that claimed seven lives on August 19.
The divers are seen holding onto a rope as they descend into the water and make their way to the wreckage site, which lies 160ft beneath the surface. They then swim through an opening and drift down ghostly corridors, through hatches and into the rooms of the yacht, which is resting on its starboard side on the seabed.
The haunting footage was broadcast by Italian investigative TV show Quarta Repubblica on Monday, October 14, shedding light on the aftermath of the tragic incident. This release comes just weeks after inquests opened into the deaths of four of the seven victims, including tech billionaire Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah, Morgan Stanley International Chief Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy.
Hannah, who was set to begin her studies at Oxford University, was the last victim to be found, her body discovered hidden behind a mattress below deck. Mr Lynch is reported to have drowned, according to Suffolk Coroners court, while the cause of death for his daughter and the two other victims remains unconfirmed.
Italian media speculates that they may have survived briefly in an air pocket before suffocating. Investigators believe the yacht was overwhelmed by a wall of water during a freak storm, causing it to sink. Leaked details from the preliminary report suggest the yacht was flooded by water pouring over the main deck and down the spiral staircase into the lower levels.
Investigators are examining whether the yacht’s mast tilting could have contributed to the disaster. Prosecutors are looking into possible human errors, questioning why the engines weren’t activated and the yacht’s bow wasn’t turned into the wind to mitigate the storm’s impact.
The Bayesian now rests on the seabed, surrounded by a coastguard cordon, with plans to salvage the vessel in the coming weeks. Fifteen individuals, including Mr Lynch’s spouse Angela Bacares, survived the calamity.
New Zealand captain James Cutfield, British chief engineer Tim Parker Eaton, and watchman Matthew Griffiths are under formal investigation for multiple manslaughter and causing a disaster. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch and Italian authorities are also probing the sinking.
The incident timeline places the deaths at 5 am on August 19, shortly after the yacht succumbed to the storm. The coroner termed the fatalities as “very sad” and postponed further investigations until April 2025. The tragedy of the Bayesian superyacht continues to unravel as more details emerge from the investigation.