New CCTV footage has been released showing the final moments of the Bayesian luxury yacht before it was engulfed in a freak storm and sank off the coast of Porticello, Sicily on Monday. Six passengers, including British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his friend, Morgan Stanley chairman and investment banker Jonathan Bloomer, are still missing as divers continue to search the wreckage.
The 56-meter superyacht was moored about half-a-mile off the coast when it sank in the early hours of Monday morning. It was reportedly carrying a total of 22 people – 12 crew members and ten passengers; 15 people have so far been rescued, including Lynch’s wife, who owns the ship. One person has been confirmed dead – Recaldo Thomas, the ship’s chef.
On Wednesday, Italian media reported that two additional bodies have been found inside the ship, but their identities have yet to be confirmed. The Italian Coastguard believes that all the missing persons could still be inside the boat as they would not have had much time to escape the vessel, which is said to have sunk quickly.
In the CCTV footage released on Tuesday, the iconic aluminum mast of the ship, which stood at a record 72 meters, can be seen in the distance before completely disappearing into the sea in a matter of minutes.
The incident has reportedly left industry experts “at a loss,” according to The Independent, as the luxury yacht was presumed to have top-class fittings and safety features, which should have prevented the tragedy.
Matthew Schanck, a maritime rescue expert, told the outlet that if the tragedy was indeed caused by extreme weather and what appears to be a waterspout, it could be classified as a ‘black swan event’ – a rare and unpredictable situation that is often considered unavoidable.
Meanwhile, rescuers have continued their efforts to enter the yacht, which is said to be lying nearly intact on the seafloor, to search for the missing persons. However, their attempts have been hampered by the “very confined” spaces, according to fire department spokesman Luca Cari. Given that divers are limited to 12-minute underwater shifts and debris is preventing access to the ship’s cabins, rescuers have also deployed remotely controlled underwater vehicles to aid in the search.