The sinking of the Bayesian superyacht within reportedly just 16 minutes, resulting in the tragic deaths of seven individuals, has deeply shaken the sailing community and beyond.
Italian authorities are examining the circumstances of the 56m Perini Navi sloop’s sinking during the early hours of August 19, when a fierce storm struck the yacht near the fishing village of Porticello, located on Sicily’s northern coast.
Karsten Borner, the captain of a nearby sailboat that was first on the scene, described the storm to reporters as “very, very violent.” He remarked, “I have never seen a vessel of this size go down so rapidly. Within minutes, there was nothing left.”
Giovanni Costantino, the CEO of The Italian Sea Group, which owns Perini Navi, informed the BBC that there were 16 minutes between the ship losing power at 03:56—when water inundated areas containing electrical circuits—and the GPS signal being lost, indicating the yacht’s sinking.
A four-person team from the UK government’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch has traveled to Italy to collaborate with their Italian counterparts, as the Bayesian was flying a UK flag.
Italian news outlets reported that prosecutors in Termini Imerese, Sicily, have placed Baltic captain James Cutfield and two British crew members, ship engineer Tim Parker-Eaton and sailor Matthew Griffiths, under investigation.
The three men are being investigated for suspected multiple negligent manslaughter and causing a shipwreck. At this time, there is no evidence of guilt, and formal charges may not necessarily follow.
Reports from the Italian news agency ANSA indicated that Parker-Eaton is being investigated for possibly failing to activate safety systems to secure the boat’s hatches and doors, potentially leading to flooding in the engine room, causing a blackout, and contributing to the shipwreck.
Griffiths, who was on the night watch in the cockpit, reportedly should have alerted the crew about the imminent violent weather leading to the ship’s sinking, according to ANSA.
Investigators will also review the yacht’s design, stability, and operation, noting that it features a 72-metre aluminium mast— the tallest in the world— and a lifting keel, in addition to assessing the effects of severe weather, including a downburst, and the actions of the New Zealand captain and the other eight crew members.
Divers recovered the bodies of UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah Lynch, Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy, and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda from the yacht’s interior several days later.
The yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas, was found shortly after the vessel sank.
The 15 survivors rescued from a life raft included Lynch’s wife Angela Bacares and five guests, including a one-year-old child, along with Cutfield and the crew.
“Suddenly the heeling increased,” said a crew member who reported that the weather worsened while the team was on deck securing everything movable (cushions, doors, etc.) and the boat was tilted about 20° to starboard in strong winds. “This sounds like sudden massive downflooding,” ANSA noted.
It was also reported that the retractable keel with a large pivoting centerboard is typically deployed only while sailing and was retracted at night to minimize noise.
The yacht capsized on its starboard side in 50 meters of water.
Italian authorities suggested that a downburst impacted the ship, countering initial reports of a tornado or waterspout. In a downburst, air rapidly descends from the cloud base, generating wind speeds over 100 mph (160 km/h), before dispersing unpredictably upon reaching the surface.
Thunderstorms are relatively common in Europe during late summer, and widespread low pressure in August is believed to have intensified these storms.
The International Centre for Waterspout Research confirmed 18 waterspouts occurred off the Italian coast on August 19.
Unusually warm sea temperatures may have also exacerbated storm severity, with the Mediterranean recording a peak sea temperature of 28.9° on August 15.