Design of ‘unsinkable’ super-yacht partly to blame for tragic capsize which cost Antiguan man his life

by Mick the Ram

A report released into the findings of an investigation looking at the cause of a luxury super-yacht to sink suddenly off the coast of Sicily last year killing seven people, has concluded that “extreme weather” and “design flaws” of the vessel were to blame.

The Bayesian sank near the town of Porticello on 19 August 2024 with 22 people on board, resulting in the loss of life of 59-year-old billionaire tech-tycoon Mike Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, and five others including Canadian-Antiguan citizen, Recaldo Thomas.

Winds of around 80mph drove the boat past its point of stability and caused down-flooding over the starboard rail, according to a preliminary safety paper drawn up by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).

The investigating team’s chief inspector said the situation was “irrecoverable” once the yacht tilted beyond 70 degrees.

He also said that they had discovered that it was “vulnerable” to even lighter winds than those reached on that day, but crucially the owner and crew of the vessel would not have been aware of this fact, as it was not included in the onboard stability information booklet.

In addition to the MAIB report, there is also an on-going criminal investigation being conducted by Italian prosecutors.

An operation to raise the 56-metre super-yacht from the seabed was paused last week after one of the rescue diving team sadly died whilst working on the wreck. 

Wind speed picked up alarmingly

The luxury yacht which had a 75-metre (246ft) mast, had sailed to what would become the disaster site on the previous day, ironically to “shelter” from the forecasted thunderstorms. 

It was anchored just off shore with its sails furled. Just over half an hour before the tragic event occurred, the wind speed was said to be no more than eight knots (9mph). 

As the storm closed in it increased to 30 knots (34.5mph), alerting several several crew members to respond to the conditions, with a deck hand closing all the boat’s windows.

Toppled in just 15 SECONDS

At 04.06 local time, the wind had more than doubled in speed, accelerating past 70 knots (80.6mph), a rate from which MAIB’s report found that the yacht was unable to withstand.

Consequently, it was knocked to a 90-degree angle, within only 15 SECONDS, leaving furniture and loose items falling dangerously and people to be thrown about.

Did all they could

The preliminary report’s official finding was that a “rapidly passing meso-cyclonic thunderstorm generating transient hurricane-force gusts”, had driven the Bayesian onto its side, ultimately leading to its inevitable capsize. 

The report found that there was no indication of flooding inside the Bayesian until water came over the starboard rails and the internal spaces down the stairwells.

Some luckier than others

They were able to piece together the terrifying last few moments on board as the yacht began to go under the water. Some of the guests and crew found themselves trapped in an air pocket, but it seems that another guest (who had suffered an injury to themselves) was able aid their escape by opening a door which had become locked.

The first officer the report noted, found a miraculous route to freedom by precariously jumping into the water, diving down and opening some sliding doors in a room, before swimming to safety.

No chance of recovering position

The Chief inspector of the investigating team, Andrew Moll, said the situation was “irrecoverable” once the yacht heeled beyond an angle of 70 degrees (the angle of vanishing stability [AVS]) meaning “there was no chance of a return to an even keel”.

MAIB were also very keen to highlight that the alleged weaknesses in the design of the yacht were not included in its stability information booklet, a form of operating manual for a captain which sets out a vessel’s physical limits.

Captain under investigation

The investigation clarified its report by pointing out that it had been based on “a limited amount of verified evidence” due to the fact that a criminal investigation by Italian authorities had restricted access to the wreck.

That separate investigation is being conducted against James Cutfield, the New Zealand born captain, together with two British crew members: Tim Parker Eaton and Matthew Griffiths, who could be facing charges of potential manslaughter and causing a shipwreck.

Yacht’s builder points the finger

The chief executive of The Italian Sea Group, the parent company of the Perini Navi shipyard, which built the Bayesian back in 2008, claimed that it was “unsinkable” and that the tragedy must have been caused by human error, firmly placing the blame at the hands of the skipper.

Giovanni Costantino insisted that it must have been a chain of “indescribable, unreasonable errors” by the crew which led to the sinking, and completely ruled out any design or construction flaws.

His belief was that a hatch in the hull “must have been left open”.

Could do no more

However, Dr Simon Boxall, Oceanographer at the University of Southampton, said the Bayesian was simply and tragically in “the wrong place at the wrong time”.

He confirmed that the priorities for the crew would have been to shut the hatches and the doors, which he said: “they did”. This means speculation about water flooding in because everything was open is according to Dr Boxall: “obviously not the case”.

The doctor went on to say that the next priority would have been to start the engines, enabling some manoeuvrability to position themselves within a storm, and then to lift anchor, which he was aware that the crew did, but pointed out that “this takes time”.

The seven who died

Mike Lynch who organised the trip was a prominent figure in the UK tech industry, where his backing of successful companies led to him being dubbed the British equivalent of Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

As well as his daughter, Hannah, the other people who died as a result of the tragic incident were: Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy Bloomer; US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo; and Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as the yacht’s on-board chef.

Inspirational figure

Mr Thomas had heartbreakingly told a friend back in Antigua that he “was really tired” and would only need to work for two more seasons, so he could “fix up his late parents’ house.”

Gareth Williams said at the time of the sinking: “I can talk for everyone that knew him when I say he was a well-loved, kind human being with a calm spirit.”

Another friend, Eli Fuller, was also full of praise for the popular native Antiguan, saying: “He knew everybody, was friends with everybody and had become an inspiration to young black children who wanted to get into yachting.”

Second tragic Bayesian event

The yacht would possibly have been resurfaced by now had it not been for a terrible accident which occurred only last week, when a diver died during preliminary operations to recover the vessel.

Italian media reported that a 39-year-old Dutch national who worked for a specialist salvage company, lost his life, although the precise cause of death has not been revealed.

Major operation to bring yacht back up

The salvaging is being overseen by British marine consultancy TMC Marine and led by Dutch-based companies Hebo – a maritime services company from Rotterdam – and SMIT Salvage, with support from Italian specialists.

Before the Bayesian is raised it will be held in position by steel slings, as workers detach the vessel’s extensive rigging and huge mast – thought to be one of the tallest in the world.

These will then be stored on the seabed and only brought back up once the team has recovered the ship’s hull, which investigators say is a primary source of evidence.