Marine salvage specialists launched recovery operations on Sunday to retrieve the British-flagged superyacht Bayesian from the seabed near Sicily, nearly a year after it tragically sank, claiming the lives of United Kingdom tech billionaire Mike Lynch, his daughter, and five others.
The complex salvage task is being executed using two floating crane vessels: Hebo Lift 2, equipped with remotely operated underwater systems, and Hebo Lift 10, a maritime powerhouse ranked among the most formidable cranes in Europe.
The latter arrived in the Sicilian port of Termini Imerese from Rotterdam on Saturday, ahead of the lift.
Oversight and security for the mission are being handled by the Italian coast guard, which is monitoring the area to ensure safety for all involved.
Authorities estimate the entire operation to recover the sunken vessel could span 20 to 25 days. Once brought ashore, judicial investigators will begin a formal examination of the wreck.
As part of the ongoing inquiry, Italian prosecutors are scrutinizing the actions of the yacht’s captain and two crew members to determine their possible roles in the disaster that occurred on August 19, 2024.
Initial findings suggest the yacht succumbed to a sudden downburst, a violent burst of wind typically triggered by thunderstorms that rapidly spreads after hitting water.
To facilitate the retrieval, the vessel’s towering 75-meter (246-foot) aluminum mast, reportedly the second tallest of its kind globally, will be cut down, according to coast guard Captain Nicola Silvestri.
The yacht’s hull currently rests about 49 meters (160 feet) below the surface.
The victims included not only Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, but also Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy, attorney Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda, along with the ship’s cook, Recaldo Thomas.
Out of the 22 people onboard, 15 were rescued quickly with the help of nearby vessels.
One body was recovered shortly after the incident, while six others initially listed as missing were located after an intensive search effort that lasted until August 23, 2024.
