One dead and six missing after superyacht sinks during Sicily tornado By Elena Salvoni Published: 05:57 EDT, 19 August 2024 | Updated: 06:08 EDT, 19 August 2024 e-mail Advertisement One person has been confirmed dead while a desperate hunt continues for six more people, including British and American tourists, after a freak storm sank a 180ft yacht off the coast of Sicily this morning. Fifteen of the 22 people on board, including a one-year-old baby and its mother, were rescued after the boat capsized when a tornado hit the area off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo, at around 5am. The passengers were mainly British, according to reports, while citizens from New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Canada, the US and two dual British and French nationals were also said to be on board.
The group are reported to have been tourists on holiday in Sicily, and it is feared that those missing may have been trapped inside their cabins. The vessel has been named as the Bayesian - a luxury yacht which sails under the British flag and has the second tallest mast in the world. A helicopter, coastguard vessels and firefighters have been deployed to search the scene of the wreck above and below water.
Expert divers have already reached the hull , 49 metres below the water and about half a mile from the coast, according to Italian media. Nautical maps show the last known location of the Bayesian just after 2am local time, when it was at anchor. The boat is thought to have arrived in Porticello .