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yesterday

Salvage of Sunken Superyacht Suspended After Diver’s Death

Recovery efforts for the Bayesian, which sank off Sicily in 2024 killing seven, are on hold as authorities investigate the fatal incident involving a Dutch diver.

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

  • The salvage operation for the Bayesian superyacht has been paused after a 39-year-old Dutch diver died on May 9 during preparatory work to cut the vessel’s mast.
  • Investigators are examining potential causes of the diver’s death, including medical issues or being struck by dislodged debris during underwater cutting operations.
  • The Bayesian sank in August 2024 during a sudden storm near Porticello, Sicily, killing seven people, including tech mogul Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah.
  • The complex £20 million recovery effort, involving specialized equipment and personnel from across Europe, is critical to uncovering evidence about the yacht’s rapid sinking.
  • No timeline has been set for resuming the salvage, as Italian authorities and TMC Marine conduct investigations into the diver’s death and overall safety protocols.