Mike Lynch's sunken superyacht set to be lifted this weekend

Tech tycoon Mike Lynch's sunken superyacht is due to be raised from the seabed off the coast of Sicily this weekend.
The 56-metre (184ft) Bayesian is set to be lifted to the surface near the fishing town of Porticello on Saturday or Sunday before being taken to nearby Termini Imerese — where Italian prosecutors investigating the sinking are based.
Investigators in the UK and Italy say raising the vessel is crucial to fully understanding what happened.
The complex work to safely recover the Bayesian has been progressed quickly in the past week by the contractors' personnel. Over the coming days, all going well, the vessel's final recovery will take place this weekend and lead to her ultimate safe delivery to the authorities in Termini Imerese
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 next few days, workers will fit hoses and plugs into the fuel tank vents on the yacht's right side, which had been lying flat on the seabed.
The yacht will then be slowly tilted fully upright, supported by strong steel straps attached to Hebo Lift 10 — one of Europe's most powerful sea cranes.
If all goes to plan, the boat will be lifted 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 complex work to safely recover the Bayesian has been progressed quickly in the past week by the contractors' personnel. Over the coming days, all going well, the vessel's final recovery will take place this weekend and lead to her ultimate safe delivery to the authorities in Termini Imerese.'
Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah died after the luxury yacht Bayesian sank in a storm off the coast of Porticello, Sicily (Family Handout/PA)
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.
Billionaire Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18, were among seven people who died when the Bayesian sank off the coast of the Italian island on August 19.
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 on the fifth day of the search and recovery operation after the luxury yacht Bayesian sank (Jonathan Brady/PA)
The others who died in the sinking were US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, and Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the vessel.
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.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

The 42

10 hours ago

• The 42

Liverpool complete £100m club-record signing of Florian Wirtz

PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS Liverpool have completed the £100million club-record signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. The deal for the 22-year-old Germany international could potentially become a British record as there are £16m of add-ons included, which would surpass the existing mark of £115m which Chelsea paid for Moises Caicedo in 2023. It is understood Liverpool will be happy to pay these 'aspirational bonuses' as it will mean they have enjoyed considerable success at elite level. Florian Wirtz is a Red. — Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 20, 2025 Wirtz has signed a five-year contract and the capture of one of Europe's most highly-rated talents is seen as a significant coup for the club having initially faced competition from Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Advertisement Leverkusen had valued Wirtz at £126m but a compromise was reached last week, although the up-front fee easily outstrips the £85m deal Liverpool agreed with Benfica in 2022 for Darwin Nunez, who is expected to leave this summer. Wirtz is Liverpool's second signing of the summer, following close friend and Leverkusen team-mate Jeremie Frimpong to Anfield, and with the Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Marmadashvilli joining next month after a deal was agreed a year ago spending has already reached £175m. That is set to be pushed beyond the £200m mark with a £40m fee agreed for Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez. It is their biggest summer window since 2018 when Naby Keita, Fabinho, Xherdan Shaqiri and Alisson Becker were recruited for around £170m, with Virgil van Dijk having signed for £75m the previous January. Owners Fenway Sports Group have, despite their 'Moneyball' reputation, not been afraid to splash out big fees for transformative players like Van Dijk and Alisson – and Wirtz falls into that category. The club have already recouped around £26m with the departures of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Caoimhin Kelleher with further funds expected to be generated from the likes of Nunez, Harvey Elliott, Federico Chiesa and potentially Andy Robertson, who is a target for Atletico Madrid. 'I feel very happy and very proud. I was waiting for a long time – finally it's done and I am really happy,' Wirtz told the club's website. 'I'm really excited to have a new adventure in front of me. This was also a big point of my thoughts: that I want to have something completely new, to go out of the Bundesliga and to join the Premier League. 'I will see how I can perform there. I hope I can do my best. I spoke also with some players who played there and they told me that it's perfect for me and every pitch is perfect, you can enjoy every game. I'm really looking forward to playing my first game. 'I would like to win everything every year! First of all, we have to do our work, I have to make my work. 'In the end, we want to be successful. Last season they won the Premier League so my goal is for sure to win it again and also to go further in the Champions League. I'm really ambitious.'

The Irish Sun

11 hours ago

• The Irish Sun

Toddler, 3, horrifically mauled by cockapoo had her ‘arm ripped open' as dad ‘held her skin together'

A THREE-year-old girl has been mauled by a cockapoo in a vicious attack that saw the child's arm ripped open by the designer dog. The young girl, Bunnie, was 4 Bunnie had to undergo plastic surgery to repair her arm Credit: SWNS 4 The attack left the three-year-old with brutal wounds Credit: SWNS Bunnie's father, Rowen Skinley, witnessed the Rowen was walking his three children to school when the cockapoo lunged at his daughter. She suffered Bunnie underwent plastic surgery after being rushed to hospital with surgeons attempting to stitch her torn skin back together. Read more in News Kent Police have confirmed they are Dad Rowan recalled having to "hold the skin on [Bunnie's] arm together" while she waited for treatment. According to reports Bunnie was attacked by a small sandy-coloured Rowan said: "It happened parallel to the school on the main road. I was just walking home after the school run. Most read in The Sun "The path is quite narrow, and a woman was walking her dog on the actual road itself. "Then, out of nowhere, the Girl, 10, mauled by next-door neighbour's Chow Chow before dog RETURNED to owners leaving family 'petrified' "The owner managed to pull the dog off, but when she did that, it "I was so shocked. All I had to stop the bleeding was my hands. I had to basically hold her skin together." Witnesses to the vicious attack rushed over to help rowan and Bunnie but the owner of the dog quickly left the scene. 4 Bunnie was rushed to hospital after the attack Credit: SWNS 4 She has now had several x-rays and plastic surgery Credit: SWNS Rowen said: "People who saw what happened came over and said that my daughter hadn't even put her hand out to the "The woman just disappeared. She didn't leave any details or anything." He added: "She's doing well now. She's just a bit shaken and keeps talking about how "She also has a lung condition and really bad asthma so she had to be marked down as a high-risk category for sedation. "It's really upsetting that the woman didn't stop because it makes you fear for the Bunnie was rushed to Medway Maritime Hospital and then transferred to St Thomas' in Westminster on the morning of June 18. She had several X-rays to ensure the puncture hadn't hit her bone, before undergoing Bunnie will have to go back to the hospital within a week for a check-up, and to assess whether she will need further work done. Which dog breeds are banned in the UK? THERE are specific regulations in place that prohibit certain dog breeds from being owned or bred in the UK. So what are the Which dog breeds are illegal in the UK? People tend to think of large, vicious dogs when they imagine being bitten by one. But the truth is that many types of dogs are known to bite humans, whether provoked or not. However, it's important to remember that just because a breed tends to bite humans, that doesn't mean that they all do. British law determines five breeds of dog are illegal to own, breed, sell or give away. These are an XL Bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro.

Irish Examiner

11 hours ago

• Irish Examiner

Florian Friday: Wirtz seals Liverpool move from Bayer Leverkusen in club record deal

Liverpool have confirmed the signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. The German will cost a club record £100m and his price could rise with add-ons to £116m (€135), which would make him the most expensive British transfer. Leverkusen had wanted €150m (£127.6m) for the 22-year-old, who also attracted interest from Bayern Munich, but weeks of talks brought down the price. Wirtz, an attacking midfielder, scored 16 goals and provided 15 assists in the past season in 45 club appearances. Read More Liverpool agree deal to sign Milos Kerkez as Florian Wirtz undergoes medical Wirtz, who has played 31 times for Germany, succeeds Darwin Núñez as Liverpool's record signing. Núñez arrived from Benfica in June 2022 in an £85m deal but the forward is for sale after an underwhelming spell. Liverpool have also bought Jeremie Frimpong, a right-back, from Leverkusen for £29.5m and have agreed a £40m deal to buy the left-back Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth. Kerkez is due for a medical next week with a view to signing a five-year deal and Liverpool are also keen on the Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi. In a further part of the squad renewal the goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili will complete his move to Anfield from Valencia in a £29m deal agreed last summer. Liverpool are in talks with Leverkusen over selling the England Under-21 defender to the Bundesliga club. Guardian