New images have emerged showing the wreckage of a superyacht that sank off the coast of Italy during a storm. Tragically, the incident claimed the lives of its British billionaire owner, Mike Lynch, and his daughter, Hannah. They were part of a group of seven people who died when the yacht, named Bayesian, went down near Sicily on August 19, 2024.
Mike Lynch, 59, and his 18-year-old daughter were initially reported missing after the sinking. Their bodies were later recovered, with Mike’s being found on August 22 and Hannah’s the following day. The loss of life has deeply affected their family and the wider community.
The recovery operation for the yacht has now concluded. The 56-meter (184-foot) hull and the 72-meter (236-foot) mast were successfully retrieved and transported to Italian authorities in Termini Imerese, Palermo. Salvage teams used large balloons to lift the mast from the water, and images show crews working on the recovered parts, which were covered in a brown substance.
Marcus Cave, a director of the British salvage company TMC Marine, expressed gratitude to the teams involved in the challenging recovery project. He noted that the delivery of the yacht’s hull and mast marked the end of a complex operation, which had seen many difficulties along the way.
The yacht was raised using one of Europe’s most powerful floating sea cranes. After being lifted from the seabed, the hull was placed on custom-designed supports to prevent pollution during the operation. The recovery had been delayed previously due to the tragic death of a diver involved in the salvage efforts, emphasizing the risks associated with such operations.
Alongside Mike and Hannah, other victims included Jonathan and Judy Bloomer, a British couple who were also aboard the yacht. Fifteen individuals, including Mike’s wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued from the sinking vessel.
Inquest proceedings in the UK are currently looking into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of those on board. The Lynch family lived near London, while the Bloomers were based in Sevenoaks, Kent. The community is mourning the loss of these lives, and the investigation will hopefully provide answers about the events that led to this tragedy.