Tuesday, August 20, 2024 A luxury superyacht carrying foreign tourists capsized and sank off the coast of Sicily early Monday during severe weather conditions, resulting in the death of one person and the disappearance of a prominent United Kingdom tycoon. The 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged yacht, named Bayesian, was caught in a sudden storm that developed overnight near the port of Porticello, close to Palermo. The yacht, which had 22 people on board, including 10 crew members and 12 passengers from the UK, the US, and Canada, overturned in the early hours before 5 a.
m. The Italian coast guard reported that 15 individuals were rescued, including a 1-year-old girl, while six others remain missing. The survivors were taken to shore, with eight of them hospitalized.
The storm, described as fierce, produced waterspouts that are believed to have played a significant role in the yacht’s demise. Despite the storm’s intensity, the skies had cleared, and the sea had calmed by Monday morning. The vessel, renowned for its towering 75-meter (246-feet) aluminum mast, had been anchored off the coast before being struck by the sudden weather event.
One survivor, a woman identified only as Charlotte, recounted the terrifying moment when she lost hold of her 1-year-old daughter, Sofia, in the water but managed to keep her afloat until they were rescued. Her account was shared by the Italian news agency ANSA, highlighting the harrowing conditions the passengers endured. Rescue teams, including helicopters and boats from the coast guard, fire rescue, and civil protection service, launched an immediate operation to locate the missing individuals.
The wreckage was discovered at a depth of 50 meters (163 feet) off Porticello, with deep-water divers attempting to access the yacht’s hull to search for those still unaccounted for. Local fisherman Francesco Cefalu’, who witnessed the tragedy, said he saw a distress flare at around 4:30 a.m.
and rushed to the scene. By the time he arrived, the yacht had already sunk, leaving debris floating in the water. Cefalu’ speculated that a sudden waterspout could have caused the yacht’s mast to break or its anchor to fail, leading to the disaster.
The Bayesian, built in 2008 by the Italian firm Perini Navi, was a luxury charter yacht known for its sleek, minimalist design with Japanese accents by French designer Remi Tessier. The vessel was capable of accommodating 12 passengers in opulent surroundings, making it a popular choice among high-profile guests. As the search for the missing continues, this tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictability of the sea and the devastating impact of sudden weather events on even the most luxurious and well-equipped vessels.
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