Tragic sinking of Bayesian; Italian prosecutors investigate

The sinking of the Bayesian superyacht in reportedly only 16 minutes and the tragic loss of seven lives has sent a shudder through the sailing community and beyond.

- Heather Prentice

Prosecutors at Termini Imerese in Sicily are investigating the sinking of the 56m Perini Navi sloop in the early morning of 19 August, when a violent storm struck the yacht off the fishing village of Porticello, on the northern coast of Sicily.

Karsten Borner, the captain of a nearby sailing boat that was the first to assist, described the storm as ‘very, very violent’, speaking to reporters. ‘I have never seen a vessel of this size go down so quickly. Within a few minutes, there was nothing left.’

Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group that owns Perini Navi, told the BBC there were 16 minutes between the power going out on the ship at 0356 – when water flooded areas with electrical circuits – and the GPS signal being lost, indicating the time the yacht sank.

A four-man team from the British government’s Marine Accident and Investigation Branch has flown to Italy to join their Italian counterparts – the Bayesian was sailing under a UK flag.