Preparations are underway to recover the wreck of the Bayesian, a luxury yacht that sank off the coast of northern Sicily in August 2024, tragically claiming the lives of seven people, including British tech billionaire Mike Lynch and his daughter. The full lifting operation, which has drawn international attention due to the high-profile nature of the victims and the circumstances surrounding the sinking, is expected to begin within the next two weeks.
The 56-meter-long (184-foot) Bayesian, which featured a towering 72-meter mast, was anchored near the small port town of Porticello when it likely encountered a violent downburst during the early hours of August 19. The vessel capsized from the stern and sank within just 16 minutes. The tragic incident not only claimed the lives of Lynch and his daughter Hannah, but also of onboard cook Recaldo Thomas, with Lynch's wife Angela Bacares and the remaining six passengers, as well as all nine crew members, surviving the sudden disaster.
Since the sinking, the yacht has remained lying on its starboard side at a depth of 49 meters under the sea. The Bayesian was built in 2008 by luxury yacht manufacturer Perini Navi and weighs 534 tonnes. Marine experts have expressed astonishment that such a modern, well-built yacht could go down so quickly, raising questions about the events that led to the disaster.
The salvage operation is being led by UK-based maritime consultancy TMC Marine, which has partnered with Dutch firms HEBO Maritiemservice and Smit Salvage. Preparatory activities are already underway at the site, where a large 700-square-meter floating platform has been set up. An underwater robot is surveying the vessel and inspecting the condition of its tanks, which still contain 18,000 liters of diesel fuel. The operation will involve cutting off the yacht's 72-meter mast to facilitate a smoother lifting process.
Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into the sinking, focusing on three crew members for potential charges of manslaughter. Captain James Cutfield, sailor Timothy Parker Eaton, and night watch crewman Matthew Griffiths are under scrutiny for their actions leading up to the accident. According to prosecutors, Griffiths may have failed to notice the worsening weather in time, while Eaton is suspected of reacting too late after detecting water entering the yacht from the stern. Both are accused of not warning the captain promptly. Meanwhile, Cutfield is suspected of not taking appropriate steps during the emergency and failing to warn passengers about the looming danger.
As the salvage operation progresses, an incident occurred on May 9, 2025, when a diver working on the recovery efforts died. Robcornelis Maria Huijben Uiben, 39, was pronounced dead while working alongside other recovery workers to cut the boom of the yacht. Local media reports suggest that the diver may have been struck by part of the cut boom as it came off while he was underwater. An underwater explosion was reportedly heard before the diver was found dead, prompting police to launch an investigation into the cause of his death.
The recovery operation, which began on May 4, includes floating cranes, remote-controlled robots, and specialist divers among other marine experts. The Hebo Lift 10 crane, considered one of the most powerful in Europe, arrived in Sicily from Rotterdam to assist with the lifting of the wreck. The Italian Coast Guard estimates that the operation could take between 20 and 25 days to complete.
As the investigation continues, it has been revealed that UK intelligence service MI6 reportedly carried out a mission to recover highly sensitive secret files held in safes aboard the sunken super-yacht before Italian divers could reach them. The top-secret documents were related to Lynch's Darktrace cybersecurity company, which has contracts with UK, US, and Israeli intelligence agencies. Sources close to the investigation claimed that MI6 agents removed sensitive computer equipment and data belonging to Lynch from the shipwreck, prompting Italian prosecutors to request heightened security around the sunken boat.
The Bayesian was believed to contain a trove of top-secret documents and confidential data on foreign governments held in the ship's hull in waterproof safes. Among the items reportedly retrieved were two super-encrypted hard drives that hold highly classified information, including passcodes tied to intelligence services. This pre-emptive action was reportedly unauthorized by Italian authorities, raising questions about the protocol followed in such sensitive operations.
As the recovery efforts continue, the families of the victims await answers about the circumstances surrounding the sinking. An autopsy revealed that four of the victims survived the initial sinking but later died in an air bubble inside the wreck. The tragedy has not only claimed lives but also raised significant concerns regarding safety protocols and emergency management on luxury yachts.
In the coming weeks, as the wreck is finally lifted to the surface, it is expected to shed light on the exact causes of the sinking and the events that transpired on that fateful night. The investigation aims to uncover whether human error, equipment failure, or a combination of both contributed to the rapid sinking of the supposedly unsinkable superyacht.
As the world watches the recovery operation unfold, the story of the Bayesian serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the unforeseen dangers that can arise even in the most luxurious of settings.
