pumxK1GF A rare and unexpected “black swan” weather event may have led to the luxury Bayesian superyacht’s speedy demise , maritime experts claim. The spontaneous formation of a tornado-like waterspout would have given the 22 passengers and crew aboard the luxury vessel little to no time to react to the violent storm Monday before the ship capsized and sunk, killing one and leaving six others missing. Marine experts believe the large waterspout — a slim column of spinning air below a thunderstorm that occurs over water — was a “black swan event” or a weather phenomenon characterized by its extreme rarity and severe impact, similar to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, they told The Times UK.
“That water carries significant weight,” Matthew Schanck, chairman of the Maritime Search and Rescue Council, told The Times. “And if the waterspout ends up dumping a load of that water on board the vessel, that’s going to cause significant damage.” The Bayesian is believed to have sunk within minutes after being struck by the early morning storm.
Six people, including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and top New York City lawyer Christopher Morvillo, remained missing Wednesday as Italian officials investigate the ship’s sudden sinking. One expert, Andrea Ratti, a nautical design professor at Milan Polytechnic University, suggested the ship may have sunk so quickly because its windows, portholes, or other openings may have been broken or smashed open by the powerful waters.