Bayesian yacht sinking: Victims ‘suffocated in cabin air bubble’
Rescue teams searching the wreck of the Bayesian. Image courtesy of Vigili del Fuoco.
Four of the victims of the Bayesian superyacht disaster died from a lack of oxygen after an air bubble on the sunken boat ran out, it has been reported in Italian media.
Investigations continue into the events that claimed the lives of seven passengers, including British tech mogul Mike Lynch and his daughter, Hannah, when the Bayesian sank off Sicily last month.
The incident occurred around 4am local time on 19 August 2024, when the 56m Perini Navi-built sailing yacht Bayesian capsized during a violent storm, with 22 people on board.
Italian newspaper La Repubblica reports that post-mortem examinations of four of the deceased, including Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judith, Christopher Morvillo, and his wife Neda, have shown a lack of water in their lungs. This indicates that the victims did not die by drowning but suffocated as the oxygen around them was replaced with carbon dioxide. The phenomenon, sometimes referred to as “atypical drowning,” is a sign that the victims sought refuge in air pockets within the yacht after it began to sink.
Tributes are pouring in for 18-year-old Hannah Lynch after her body was recovered from a capsized yacht off the coast of Sicily. Hannah’s family has released this photo of her and her father, tech tycoon Mike Lynch, who also died in the boat tragedy. https://t.co/EidO4XqUkJ pic.twitter.com/pbQYels2WO
— Ashlee Mullany (@AshleeMullany) August 23, 2024
Sky News reports that divers discovered the bodies of five victims, including Mike Lynch, in a cabin on the left side of the yacht, which had listed to the right after the storm hit. Hannah Lynch’s body was recovered separately in another cabin. The yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas, was found floating near the wreckage at a depth of about 50 metres.
Initial reports suggested that drowning was the cause of death for the Morvillos, but autopsies later revealed this wasn’t the case.
The incident unfolded in the early hours of the morning, when the yacht was anchored near the Sicilian port of Porticello. Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, survived the sinking, along with 14 other people.
According to survivors, the yacht was struck by a suspected “downburst” storm, a localised and sudden gust of wind that can be highly destructive.
Captain James Cutfield, a New Zealander, reportedly issued a warning when the wind reached 20 knots, instructing the crew to prepare the passengers. It is reported the yacht titled to a 45-degree angle before suddenly veering to the right, sending passengers and crew into the water.
Recovered body believed to be luxury yacht's chef. Recaldo Thomas, an experienced and respected sailing chef, was saving money to restore his late parents' house. https://t.co/aIe0NxmgMK pic.twitter.com/sFt34E8NC0
— Neo News and Sports (@LivCreativ2024) August 20, 2024
The yacht sank within 16 minutes of being struck by the storm, drifting about 400 metres from its anchorage.
Prosecutors have placed Cutfield and two Britons, engineer Tim Parker Eaton and crew member Matthew Griffiths, under investigation for potential manslaughter and culpable shipwreck. Eaton has reportedly denied allegations that external doors were left open during the storm, allowing water to flood the engine room. The probe continues into whether negligence played a role in the tragedy. However, no guilt is implied by the investigation, and formal charges may not necessarily follow.
The chief executive of The Italian Sea Group, Giovanni Costantino, has expressed his sadness at the disaster, while maintaining the vessel was ‘unsinkable’.
It is reported that the remaining post-mortems on Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah, and Chef Recaldo Thomas will be carried out on Friday.
