BOOM OF SUNKEN BAYESIAN YACHT RECOVERED AS INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE

PORTICELLO, ITALY • The boom of the Bayesian, the superyacht belonging to British magnate Mike Lynch that sank off Porticello on August 19, has been recovered. The operation, carried out by the Hebo Lift2, comes ten days after the tragic death of a Dutch diver involved in the recovery efforts. Investigations into the diver's death and the precise cause of the sinking are ongoing.

Porticello, Italy, May 19, 2025 – 8:04 PM – The boom of the Bayesian, the sailing yacht belonging to British magnate Mike Lynch that sank off Porticello on the night of August 19, causing the death of 7 people, has been recovered. The recovery operation was carried out by the Hebo Lift2, ten days after yet another tragedy linked to the luxury superyacht. On May 9, Dutch diver Robcornelis Maria Huijben Uiben, 39, lost his life during the first day of work, while cutting the hinge connecting the boom to the mast. After a few days' pause for investigations, work resumed on May 15.

Investigations into Diver's Death Continue

The Bayesian's boom is the first part of the sunken yacht to return to the surface. Its recovery was considered a priority to allow the labor inspectorate and the coast guard to conduct surveys related to the investigation into the Dutch diver's death. According to investigators, the fatal accident was caused by the explosion of a hydrogen pocket that accumulated while cutting the steel and aluminum hinge. The shockwave reportedly detached a piece of metal, which struck the diver and caused the rupture of his oxygen hoses and camera cables.

Wreck Recovery Delayed

Preliminary operations for the recovery of the main wreck, which lies on its starboard side at a depth of 49 meters, resumed at full capacity yesterday. Regarding the investigation, authorities are still trying to pinpoint the exact location where water entered the vessel, causing it to sink. The latest findings have ruled out that hatches or doors were closed in the minutes leading up to the sinking. "They would not have closed in the way we found them," an investigator explained. Doubts remain among Italian investigators regarding the provisional report released by MAIB, the UK's marine accident investigation branch, particularly due to the lack of "direct evidence" used in its drafting. "At the moment, we still don't know what's on the starboard side of the vessel, without which any consideration is unreliable," emphasized those who have been involved in the surveys off Porticello for eight and a half months. To get a complete picture, the Bayesian will need to be brought ashore at the port of Termini Imerese. The wreck's recovery, initially scheduled for these days, has been postponed by a week: the surfacing is now set for between May 26 and 28. After recovery, the yacht will be drained of water and transported to port suspended in the air.