Divers discovered four bodies in the wreck of a superyacht that sank off Sicily. The search is ongoing for two more missing passengers, and questions are arising about why the vessel sank so quickly.
Rescue crews brought two body bags from the rescue vessels to port, where Salvatore Cocina, head of the Sicily civil protection agency, confirmed that two additional bodies had been found. The total number of bodies found is now four.
Experts believe that the recovery operation to search the hull on the seabed, 50 meters underwater, is not a rescue mission, given the amount of time that has passed without any signs of life emerging after three days of searching.
The 56-meter British-flagged yacht, known as the Bayesian, sank in a storm early Monday while moored about a kilometer offshore. Officials believe a waterspout, or tornado over the water, struck the ship and caused it to sink rapidly.
Fifteen people managed to escape in a lifeboat and were rescued by a nearby sailboat. One body was recovered on Monday, belonging to the ship’s chef, Recaldo Thomas.
Six individuals, including British tech magnate Mike Lynch, his daughter, and associates, are still missing. Investigation teams are gathering evidence for a criminal investigation, which was opened immediately after the tragedy.
The cause of the superyacht sinking remains uncertain. Questions are being raised about the ship’s keel position and whether it had a lifting keel, which could have affected its stability. Yachts like the Bayesian are equipped with watertight compartments to prevent rapid sinking, even when some parts fill with water.
Italian coast guard and fire rescue divers are conducting underwater searches under risky conditions. The wreck’s depth requires special precautions, and divers can only spend about 12 minutes at a time searching due to decompression risks.
The limited dive time is intended to prevent decompression sickness, known as the bends. Divers must ascend slowly to avoid nitrogen gas bubbles forming in the blood.
Efforts are being made to limit risks and recovery time after each dive, with a focus on safety for the divers involved in the operation.
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