One man was killed and six others were still missing as of Monday morning after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Sicily during bad weather.
British technology tycoon Mike Lynch, 59, was among those who went missing when the British-flagged 183-foot yacht, the Bayesian, sank near a port in Sicily. According to At least 15 people have been rescued from the sunken ship, but six are still missing and one person is confirmed dead. The Italian coast guard is leading the search with helicopter crews.
Crews found the boat about 164 feet below the surface, with the passengers reportedly from the US, Canada, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Ireland and the UK.
A yacht called the Bayesian capsizes and sinks off the coast of Sicily, and we see a bunch of people furiously updating their priors… pic.twitter.com/FqRnAAa5N1
— Martin Valdes de Leon (@mvaldesdeleon) August 19, 2024
A few days ago we came across a beautiful ship, the Baysian, anchored nearby. We took many photos of the ship all night until dawn. The 75-meter mast lit up at night was a spectacular sight. We imagined the people on board having the time of their lives. What a tragedy. pic.twitter.com/OqYIwaV1vb
— Khorakhane 🍉 (@Khorakhane100) August 19, 2024
At least one of the people rescued was an infant.
“I stretched out my arms and did my best to keep her afloat so she wouldn't drown. It was pitch black. I couldn't keep my eyes open in the water. I screamed for help but all I could hear was other people screaming,” her mother said, according to the BBC. Both the child and mother are in good condition and have been taken to hospital “as a precaution.” (Related: WWII ship from 'forgotten battle' discovered off Alaska coast)
Carsten Borner, the captain of a nearby ship, said he had to maneuver to avoid colliding with the Baysian.
“We managed to hold the boat in place and then after the storm passed we noticed the boat behind us had disappeared,” Borner said after rescuing 15 people.
PORTICELLO, ITALY – AUGUST 19: A coast guard vessel searches for missing passengers after a yacht capsized off the coast of Palermo, Italy, on August 19, 2024. The 50-metre yacht, “Basian”, was carrying 22 passengers when it sank off the coast of Porticello, Palermo province, Sicily, at around 3am GMT, leaving several people missing, including four Britons, two Americans and one Canadian. Italian coast guard and firefighters have evacuated 15 people to safety and rescue efforts are ongoing. (Photo by Vincenzo Pepe/Getty Images)
PORTICELLO, ITALY – AUGUST 19: An ambulance parks near the port as the search continues for missing passengers after a yacht capsized off the coast of Palermo, Italy, on August 19, 2024. The 50-metre yacht, “Basian”, sank off the coast of Porticello, Palermo province, Sicily, at around 3am GMT with 22 passengers on board, leaving several people missing, including four Britons, two Americans and one Canadian. Italian coast guard and firefighters have evacuated 15 people to safety and rescue efforts are ongoing. (Photo by Vincenzo Pepe/Getty Images)
LONDON, UK – JUNE 27: Mike Lynch, former CEO of Autonomy, leaves the Rolls Building in London, UK on June 27, 2019. Hewlett Packard Enterprise has accused Lynch of accounting fraud at Autonomy, once the UK's second-largest software company. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
The Baysian was built in 2008 and has spent most of its time in the Mediterranean, the BBC noted. It's currently managed by Camper & Nicholsons, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A statement provided to the BBC said there were 12 guests and 10 crew on board at the time of the incident. (Related: 'Everyone panics': One dies as passengers desperately try to hold sinking ferry afloat: Video)
“Our first priority is to assist the ongoing search and provide any necessary assistance to the rescued passengers and crew,” the company said.
This is an evolving story, so check back for updates.
