Marine salvage experts have begun the process of raising a British-flagged superyacht from the seabed off the coast of Sicily, Italy.
Last summer, the Bayesian sank, killing tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, his daughter and five others.
The work will be carried out using two floating cranes: Hebo Lift 2, which operates underwater devices and vehicles remotely, and Hebo Lift 10, which is one of the most powerful offshore cranes in Europe and which docked at the port of Termini Imerese in Sicily on Saturday after arriving from Rotterdam.
The Italian Coast Guard is supervising all operations and patrolling the protected area to ensure the safety of the recovery team.
It said the process of retrieving the Bayesian could take between 20 and 25 days. Once the wreckage is brought to shore, it will be examined by the investigative bodies investigating the sinking.
Prosecutors are investigating the possible culpability of the captain and two crew members in connection with the sinking of the ship on August 19, 2024.
The 183-foot, 473-ton yacht sank, presumably due to a sudden gust of wind or a localized strong storm that quickly developed after hitting the surface.
Coast Guard Captain Nicola Silvestri said the yacht's 246-foot aluminum mast – the second tallest in the world – would be cut to make it easier to lift the hull, which lies 160 feet below the surface.
The incident killed not only Mr Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, but also Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy, lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda, and the ship's cook Recaldo Tomas.
At the initial stage, with the help of nearby ships, 15 of the 22 people were rescued, one body was found, and six more were missing.
The bodies of the six missing persons were found during a long and complex search operation that continued until August 23.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
