In a tragic incident off the coast of Sicily, a luxury yacht sank after being struck by a tornado early Monday morning, leaving one person dead and six others missing. The yacht, a 56-meter vessel named Bayesian and registered under a British flag, was anchored about half a mile from the Porticello harbor when the tornado hit at around 5 a.m. local time. The yacht had 22 people on board, including both passengers and crew, most of whom were British nationals.
The Italian coast guard and emergency services swiftly responded to the disaster, rescuing 15 people, including a one-year-old child. These survivors, some of whom sustained injuries, were taken to local hospitals where they are reported to be in stable condition. However, the search continues for the six missing individuals, who include four Britons and two Americans.
🚨🇮🇹🇬🇧 7 MISSING AFTER YACHT SINKS NEAR SICILY
A 50-metre sailboat with 22 people on board sank in the early hours of Monday off the coast of the Sicilian city of Palermo.
Italy's Coast Guard and firefighters rescued 15 people, including a child, after the boat, flying a… pic.twitter.com/qfFBLl9PFz
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Among the missing is British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, founder of Autonomy Corporation and a well-known figure in the tech industry. Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, was among those rescued. The body of the deceased, believed to be the yacht's chef, was found by divers in the wreckage later that morning. The Bayesian now lies approximately 160 feet below the surface.
The tornado that struck the yacht is part of a broader pattern of severe weather that has been impacting Italy, particularly Sicily, in recent days. The European Severe Weather Database had warned of potential strong winds and severe storms across the southern region of Italy on
Moment $1,000,000 luxury yacht sinks after dramatic rescue pic.twitter.com/esPcw3dOSw
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Sunday, which led to torrential rains and significant weather disruptions. Despite these warnings, the yacht remained anchored, which has raised questions as to why it did not seek shelter in port.
The vessel, built in 2008 by the Italian shipbuilder Perini Navi, is one of the largest luxury yachts in the world. It was managed by Camper and Nicholsons International, which confirmed the vessel had encountered severe weather before it sank.
The ongoing investigation aims to determine the exact sequence of events and why the yacht failed to evade the approaching storm.
As search and rescue efforts continue, the incident highlights the dangers of severe weather, especially in regions like the Mediterranean, where such storms can be sudden and devastating. Helicopters and divers from Italy’s fire brigade remain on the scene, scouring the wreckage and the surrounding waters in hopes of finding the missing passengers and crew .
