Mike Lynch's sunken yacht glimpsed above surface ahead of being fully raised
Seven people died when the Bayesian sank off the coast of the Italian island on August 19, including billionaire Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18.
The 56-metre (184ft) yacht is set to be lifted to the surface near the fishing town of Porticello over the weekend before being taken to nearby Termini Imerese — where Italian prosecutors investigating the sinking are based.
On Friday, parts of the accommodation areas above deck and the hull were seen above the surface as teams worked to install additional lifting straps before the yacht was lowered back under the waterline ahead of being fully raised at the weekend.
Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah died after the luxury yacht Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily (Family Handout/PA)
Investigators in the UK and Italy say raising the vessel is crucial to fully understanding what happened.
Last week, salvage teams expected the boat to be raised later in June, but thanks to 'accelerated progress', the timeline was brought forward.
The yacht's 72-metre (236ft) mast was cut off on Tuesday using a remote-controlled tool and rested on the seabed to be picked up later.
Over the last few days, salvage teams worked to ease the hull into an upright position and give access to the yacht's right side, which had previously been lying flat on the seabed 50 metres below the surface.
The yacht is currently supported by strong steel straps attached to Hebo Lift 10 — one of Europe's most powerful sea cranes.
If all goes to plan, sea water will be pumped out of the hull as the boat is raised to the surface before being carried to Termini Imerese on Monday, where it will be lifted onto a specially made steel cradle on the quayside.
Marcus Cave of British firm TMC Marine, which is overseeing the salvage efforts, said: 'The salvage team has made very substantive progress in the last 10 days.
'They are now preparing for the final, complex and delicate lifting operation, to bring Bayesian to the surface and ultimately into port.'
The vessel was originally expected to be raised last month but salvage efforts were delayed after a diver died during underwater work on May 9, prompting greater use of remote-controlled equipment.
About 70 specialist personnel had been mobilised to the fishing village of Porticello from across Europe to work on the recovery operation, which began last month.
Inquest proceedings in the UK are looking at the deaths of Mr Lynch and his daughter, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals.
Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) investigators said in an interim report that the Bayesian was knocked over by 'extreme wind'.
The yacht had a vulnerability to winds but the owner and crew would not have known, the report said.
An Italian coastguard boat on the water during the search and recovery operation after the luxury yacht Bayesian sank (Jonathan Brady/PA)
US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, and Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the vessel, also died in the sinking.
Fifteen people, including Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued.
Mr Lynch and his daughter were said to have lived in the vicinity of London and the Bloomers lived in Sevenoaks in Kent.
The tycoon founded software giant Autonomy in 1996 and was cleared in June last year of carrying out a massive fraud over the sale of the firm to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011.
The boat trip was a celebration of his acquittal in the case in the US.
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Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Salvage crews pump water from Mike Lynch's superyacht ahead of recovery
Water is being pumped out of the Bayesian superyacht as the British vessel is gradually lifted out of the sea off the coast of Sicily. The 56-metre (184ft) vessel is expected to be lifted clear of the water on Saturday as part of a 25 million euro (£21 million) operation to recover the wreck for investigators to examine. It is being cradled by eight steel cables which are attached to a giant crane on board a floating platform called the Hebo Lift 10, brought all the way from the Netherlands. The yacht sank in a violent storm last August with the loss of seven lives including Mike Lynch, the billionaire British tech businessman and his teenage daughter Hannah. Journalists and camera crews were taken out to the coast guard ship from the fishing port of Porticello, just half a mile from where the Bayesian capsized 10 months ago. Over the past few days, salvage teams have worked to ease the hull into an upright position and give access to the yacht's right side, which had previously been lying flat on the seabed 50 metres underwater. 'The Bayesian is on the surface but not clear of the sea as yet,' a spokesman for British salvage company TMC Marine told The Telegraph. 'Pumping out of sea water will continue and it will be lunchtime, following a series of lifting and resting procedures to satisfy the salvage team, before Bayesian is fully and finally out of the water.' Pumping out the water from the Bayesian will make the vessel lighter and easier to manoeuvre, a senior coast guard officer said. Speaking on the deck of the coast guard ship Diciotti, captain Michele Maltese said the yacht's fuel tanks remain intact, but that thermal cameras are being used to check for any potential fuel leaks. 'We are here to make sure there's no leakage or impact on the environment,' he said. 'Our job is to deliver the yacht to the judicial authorities in the best possible condition.' The yacht's 72-metre (236ft) mast, which was cut off earlier this week by a remote controlled sub, will be retrieved from the seabed next week. The battered Bayesian will be transported on Sunday to the port of Termini Imerese along the coast of Sicily. It was originally expected to be raised last month, but salvage efforts were delayed after a diver died during underwater work on May 9, prompting greater use of remote-controlled equipment. About 70 specialist personnel had been mobilised to Porticello from across Europe to work on the recovery operation, which began last month. Inquest proceedings in the UK are looking at the deaths of Mr Lynch and his daughter, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals. Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigators said in an interim report that the Bayesian was knocked over by 'extreme wind'. The yacht had a vulnerability to winds, but the owner, captain and crew would not have known of its inherent structural weaknesses, the report said. US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, and Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the vessel, also died. Fifteen people, including Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued. Mr Lynch and his daughter were said to have lived in the vicinity of London and the Bloomers lived in Sevenoaks in Kent. The tycoon founded software giant Autonomy in 1996 and was cleared in June last year of carrying out a massive fraud over the sale of the firm to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011. The boat trip was a celebration of Mr Lynch's acquittal in the case in the US.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Bayesian: Mike Lynch's superyacht seen on surface for first time since tragedy
Water is being pumped from the superyacht belonging to Mike Lynch, which has been seen upright for the first time since it tragically sank off the coast of Sicily last month. The 56-metre (184ft) vessel, named Bayesian, was spotted in an upright position near the fishing town of Porticello on Saturday morning, held by one of Europe's most powerful sea cranes. The sinking on August 19 led to the deaths of seven individuals, including billionaire Mr Lynch, 59, and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah. A project insider said: 'The vessel is on surface, but not clear of the sea as yet. 'Pumping out of water will continue, and it will be lunchtime – following a series of lifting and resting procedures – before she will finally be fully and finally out of the water.' Salvage workers could be seen on the vessel, which is covered in mud and algae, while the canopy and guard rails are mangled. Investigators in the UK and Italy say raising the vessel is crucial to fully understanding what happened. The yacht's 72-metre (236ft) mast was cut off on Tuesday using a remote-controlled tool and rested on the seabed to be picked up later. Over the last few days, salvage teams have worked to ease the hull into an upright position and give access to the yacht's right side, which had previously been lying flat on the seabed 50 metres below the surface. The vessel is expected to be brought to Termini Imerese – where Italian prosecutors investigating the sinking are based, and on Monday it will be lifted on to a specially made steel cradle on the quayside. It was originally expected to be raised last month, but salvage efforts were delayed after a diver died during underwater work on May 9, prompting greater use of remote-controlled equipment. About 70 specialist personnel had been mobilised to Porticello from across Europe to work on the recovery operation, which began last month. Inquest proceedings in the UK are looking at the deaths of Mr Lynch and his daughter, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals. Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigators said in an interim report that the Bayesian was knocked over by 'extreme wind'. The yacht had a vulnerability to winds, but the owner and crew would not have known, the report said. US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, and Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the vessel, also died in the sinking. Fifteen people, including Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued. Mr Lynch and his daughter were said to have lived in the vicinity of London and the Bloomers lived in Sevenoaks in Kent. The tycoon founded software giant Autonomy in 1996 and was cleared in June last year of carrying out a massive fraud over the sale of the firm to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011. The boat trip was a celebration of his acquittal in the case in the US.
The Independent
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- The Independent
Sunken British super yacht raised from seabed off coast of Sicily
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