Experts start complex recovery of Mike Lynch superyacht that sank off Italy

Marine salvage experts have begun operations to recover a British-flagged superyacht from the seabed off Italy’s Sicilian coast.

The Bayesian sank last summer, killing tech magnate Mike Lynch, his daughter and five others.

Operations will be conducted by two floating cranes: Hebo Lift 2, which has remotely operated underwater equipment and vehicles, and Hebo Lift 10, one of the most powerful maritime cranes in Europe, which docked on Saturday in the Sicilian port of Termini Imerese after arriving from Rotterdam.

The Italian coast guard is supervising operations and patrolling the security perimeter to ensure the safety of personnel working on the recovery.

It said that the overall operation to retrieve the Bayesian could take from 20 to 25 days. After the wreck is brought ashore, judicial authorities investigating the sinking will examine it.

Prosecutors are investigating the captain and two crew members for possible responsibility in connection with the sinking on August 19 2024.

The 183ft-long, 473-ton yacht sank during what appears to have been a sudden downburst, or localised powerful wind from a thunderstorm that spreads rapidly after hitting the surface.

The yacht’s 246ft aluminium mast – the second tallest in the world – will be cut to allow the hull, which lies 160ft below the surface, to be brought to the surface more easily, said coast guard captain Nicola Silvestri.

In addition to Mr Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer and wife Judy, lawyer Chris Morvillo and wife Neda, and ship’s cook Recaldo Thomas died in the incident.

With the help of nearby vessels, 15 of the 22 people were rescued in the initial phase, one body was recovered, and six others reported missing.

The bodies of the six missing people were found following long and complex search efforts, which continued until August 23.