Particle.news
Download on the App Store
10 ARTICLES
·
yesterday

Diver Dies During Salvage of Sunken Superyacht Bayesian

The fatal accident has paused recovery efforts for the wreck, which sank off Sicily in 2024, as authorities investigate both the diver's death and the original tragedy.

Deacon of the Church of England, Carrie Pemberton Ford, center, speaks, Sunday, May 4, 2025, after attending a Mass celebrated by Catholic priest, father Lorenzo Buscemi, second from right, in the Sicilian village of Porticello, southern Italy, for the victims of the British superyacht Bayesian which sank off Porticello, on Aug. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)
The floating crane ship HEBO LIFT 10, which will recover the "Bayesian" yacht of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, is docked at the port of Termini Imerese ahead of the salvage operation off Porticello, near Palermo, Italy on May 3.
The multi-purpose floating work barge Hebo Lift 2 monitors the stretch of sea off Porticello, near Palermo, Sicily, Italy, Sunday, May 4, 2025, where the British superyacht Bayesian sunk on August 19, 2024 as the operations for its recovery start. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)

Overview

  • A 39-year-old Dutch diver died on May 9 during preparatory work to recover the Bayesian, a superyacht that sank in August 2024, killing seven people, including tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his daughter.
  • Italian authorities have launched an investigation into the diver's death, with initial theories suggesting either equipment failure, a medical emergency, or the diver being struck by debris during underwater cutting operations.
  • The multi-stage, £20 million salvage operation, overseen by British marine consultancy TMC Marine, aims to lift the 56-meter vessel from 50 meters below the surface to facilitate forensic and legal examinations.
  • The yacht's sinking is under ongoing investigation as suspected manslaughter, with the captain and two crew members being scrutinized for potential negligence and recklessness.
  • Unverified reports allege that UK intelligence service MI6 covertly removed sensitive files from the wreck before Italian divers began recovery operations.