Report - 'Extreme wind' was cause of sinking of Bayesian

SEVENOAKS COUPLE AMONG 7 WHO DIED IN TRAGEDY OFF SICILY

- By NEIL LANCEFIELD and TED HENNESSEY, PA

INVESTIGATORS examining the sinking of tech tycoon Mike Lynch’s superyacht in Italy said the vessel was knocked over by “extreme wind” and could not recover.

Billionaire entrepreneur Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18, were among seven people who died when the 56-metre (184ft) Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily on August 19 last year.

Also killed were Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, from Sevenoaks.

An interim report into the disaster by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) shows wind speeds of 63.4 knots (73.0mph) on the vessel's beam were sufficient to tip it over, and it may have been “vulnerable” to lighter winds.

It stated that “vulnerabilities” were “unknown to either the owner or the crew of Bayesian” as they were not included in the stability information book carried on board.

The vessel was in a “motoring condition” with its sails lowered and the centreboard - which is used to help stabilise it - was in a “raised” position, the report said.

Simon Graves, an MAIB investigator, told the PA news agency its studies found “the Bayesian may have been vulnerable to high winds and that these winds were likely to have been evident at the time of the accident”.