A luxury superyacht that sank off the coast of Sicily, killing the tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch along with six others, was knocked over by “extreme wind” and could not recover, according to an interim report into the disaster.
The UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), which has led the international investigation, said winds of over 80mph “violently” hit the vessel, causing it to flood within seconds.
The Bayesian sank near the town of Porticello on 19 August of last year during freak weather, with reports of water spouts.
Seven of the 22 people onboard were killed, including Mr Lynch, 59, and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah.
Investigators say the yacht was knocked to a 90-degree angle within 15 seconds at 04:06 am local time, causing people, furniture and loose items to fall across the deck.
“There was no indication of flooding inside Bayesian until water came in over the starboard rails and, within seconds, entered the internal spaces down the stairwells,” the report says.
The MAIB’s chief inspector of marine accidents Andrew Moll said the situation was “irrecoverable” once the yacht tilted beyond 70 degrees.
The Bayesian was also “vulnerable” to lighter winds, according to the report, with speeds of 73mph able to tip it over.
The owner and crew of the yacht were unaware of this, as it was not included in the onboard stability information book, it adds.
The MAIB is investigating the incident as the Bayesian was registered in the UK. No date has been set for when its final report will be published.
It said its report was based on “a limited amount of verified evidence” as a criminal investigation by Italian authorities has restricted access to the wreck.
An operation to raise the 56-metre vessel from the seabed was paused over the weekend after a diver died while working on the wreck. Work is set to resume on Thursday.
The report lays out more detail as to how the sinking unfolded.
Investigators say the yacht sailed to the site where it sank on the previous day, in order to “shelter” from forecast thunderstorms. The sails were furled at the time.
Wind speed was “no more than eight knots (9mph)” at 03:00 – about an hour before the incident. Some 55 minutes later it had increased to 30 knots (34.5mph), and it had accelerated to 70 knots (80.6mph) by 04:06 when the yacht capsized.
As the storm intensified, several crew members were working in response to the conditions. The deck hand went onto the deck to close the yacht’s windows.
Five people were injured “either by falling or from things falling on them” and the deck hand was “thrown into the sea”, the report says.
Two of the yacht’s guests used furniture drawers “as an improvised ladder” to escape their cabin, it adds.