Last August, luxury yacht Bayesian sank near Sicily, killing seven people and leaving the luxury yachting world with unanswered questions. Four of the victims were reported to have experienced “dry drowning”, causing speculation about the cause of the tragedy. Criminal investigations have been launched against the yacht’s captain, machine engineer, and sailor, and the legal fallout continues. The incident serves as a haunting reminder of the sea’s unyielding might.
The sinking of the luxury yacht Bayesian near Sicily in August 2019 resulted in the deaths of seven individuals. Four of the victims were reported to have experienced “dry drowning.” The cause of the tragedy remains a mystery, but criminal investigations have been launched against the yacht’s captain, machine engineer, and sailor. The incident has left the luxury yachting world with unanswered questions, and the legal fallout continues.
A cold, stormy night in August last year witnessed an event that rocked the glamorous world of luxury yachts. The Bayesian, a symbol of grandeur and extravagance, met with an unexplained fate as it sunk near the Sicilian port of Porticello, taking with it the lives of seven individuals. Adding an eerie touch to the incident were the initial post-mortem reports of four victims that suggested a rare occurrence—’dry drowning’.
The term ‘dry drowning’ or ‘atypical drowning’ is often used to characterize cases where the deceased show no evidence of water in their lungs, tracheas, or stomachs. But such terminology is a bone of contention. Institutions such as the American Red Cross raise an eyebrow at the use of such terms. They insist that health complications arising from water submersion do not automatically qualify for a firm diagnosis of drowning.
According to local reports, the first four victims seemed to have found an air pocket in the overturned cabin. They used up the remaining oxygen until it became deadly due to the build-up of carbon dioxide. This cabin served as a crypt, hiding the lifeless forms of five victims from the world.
These victims were well-known in their circles. They were distinguished figures in their respective professions – Chris Morvillo, an American lawyer, and his wife, Neda Morvillo; Jonathan Bloomer, a banker at Morgan Stanley, and his wife, Anne Elizabeth Judith Bloomer. The autopsy reports did not indicate any physical injuries or fractures that might have led to their untimely deaths.
Among the casualties were British software magnate Mike Lynch and his teenage daughter. Their autopsies are scheduled shortly. The post-mortem of Recaldo Thomas, the yacht’s resident chef, is pending due to challenges in contacting his family in Antigua.
The disaster has also entangled those who made it through the ordeal. Under the scrutinizing gaze of a criminal investigation are the ship’s captain, James Cutfield, the machine engineer, Tim Parker Eaton, and sailor Matthew Griffith. Despite being accused of ‘multiple manslaughter’ and causing the shipwreck, they were permitted to leave Italy with the investigators’ assurance that they wouldn’t face charges.
The Bayesian met with its unfortunate end within a brief span of 16 minutes, possibly due to a downburst or even a tornado. How such a catastrophe could happen to a superyacht, a vessel designed for utmost safety and luxury, is an unsolved mystery. Today, the ship’s remains lay on the seafloor near Palermo’s Porticello port, serving as a haunting reminder of the disaster. The operation to salvage it is critical not just for the investigation but also to avert an environmental disaster resulting from the potential leakage of the 18,000 litres of fuel onboard.
The shadow of the Bayesian haunts not just the ocean depths but the legal corridors as well. Lynch, acquitted of fraud charges in a US court mere months before the disaster, is currently entangled in a civil lawsuit by Hewlett Packard. This lawsuit originates from the sale of Autonomy, Lynch’s company, and demands US$4 billion in damages.
Results from pending toxicology tests may reveal more about this tragic event. However, as drug or alcohol tests were not carried out on the crew members, the enigma of what precisely unfolded that fateful night persists.
The downfall of the Bayesian was more than a maritime disaster; it was a human tragedy that sent ripples through the luxury yachting world, leaving a trail of unanswered questions. The incident stands as a grim reminder of the sea’s unyielding might, a formidable force that even the grandest of superyachts cannot always resist.
The Bayesian sank near Sicily in August 2019, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals. The cause of the tragedy remains unknown.
“Dry drowning” or “atypical drowning” is a term used to describe cases where the deceased show no evidence of water in their lungs, tracheas, or stomachs. However, health institutions such as the American Red Cross raise an eyebrow at the use of such terms and insist that complications arising from water submersion do not automatically qualify for a firm diagnosis of drowning.
The victims were well-known in their respective professions and included Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Anne Elizabeth Judith Bloomer, British software magnate Mike Lynch and his teenage daughter, and the yacht’s resident chef Recaldo Thomas.
The yacht’s captain, James Cutfield, the machine engineer, Tim Parker Eaton, and sailor Matthew Griffith are under criminal investigation for “multiple manslaughter” and causing the shipwreck.
Software magnate Mike Lynch, who was acquitted of fraud charges in a US court months before the disaster, is currently entangled in a civil lawsuit by Hewlett Packard that demands US $4 billion in damages.
Results from pending toxicology tests may reveal more about the tragedy, but the enigma of what precisely unfolded that fateful night persists. The operation to salvage the ship is critical not just for the investigation but also to avert an environmental disaster resulting from the potential leakage of the 18,000 litres of fuel onboard.
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