Featured Image Credit: PA/X/@vigilidelfuoco
Topics: News, World News, Bayesian yacht
Rhiannon Ingle
Tragedy struck in the early hours of Monday morning (19 August) when a yacht named Bayesian sank during intense storms off the coast of Palermo, Italy.
Twelve passengers who were travelling within the vessel were guests, while 10 were crew.
According to local Italian media, the body of one individual - believed to be the yacht's on-board chef - was found near the shipwreck, while six other passengers - including British tech boss Mike Lynch - still remain missing at sea.
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The ship was moored around half-a-mile off the coast of Porticello when it sank at about 5am local time on Monday (19 August) as the area was hit by a storm.
Fifteen of the 22 passengers and crew onboard, including Mr Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, 57, were rescued after escaping onto a lifeboat.
The billionaire's wife has since revealed exactly how she escaped the sinking yacht after it capsized while she eagerly waits for updates regarding her husband and 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, who are among the six still missing.
Bacares, who is now in a wheelchair after reportedly walking on broken glass to escape the sinking yacht, told Italian outlet La Republicca that she felt a 'slight tilt' before the £14 million super yacht capsized.
The outlet also reports that Bacares also has bandages on others part of her body.
She explained how she and her husband weren't too worried at first after feeling the tilt.
However, as she got up to investigate things further, the sound of shattering glass triggered a panic.
The British-flagged Bayesian is resting on the seabed at a depth of 50 metres while the search for Lynch, Hannah and the other missing passengers and crew on board the superyacht resumed on Tuesday (20 August).
Italy’s fire brigade, Vigili del Fuoco, said that inspections of the wreck on Monday were 'unsuccessful' due to furniture obstructing passages.
Local fisherman, Giuseppe Cefalu, also told the PA news agency through a translator that he saw a 'tornado' close to the port of Porticello on Monday morning (19 August).
Mr Cefalu said he and his brother, Fabio, saw a flare in the sky at around 5am.
The pair aided efforts to locate people in the water after the yacht sank, but Mr Cefalu said he only saw cushions and a buoy.
He said weather conditions on the morning of the sinking were 'fierce', with 'very strong' wind and rain.