Bayesian 180-Foot Sailing Yacht Sunk Off the Coast of Porticello, Sicily
August 22, 2024
Attorneys
What Happened
On Monday, August 19, 2024, a storm sank the large sailing yacht, Bayesian, in Porticello, a small fishing village off the coast of Palermo, Sicily. The 12 passengers and 10 crew members included British, American and Canadian nationals. Fifteen people were rescued, and seven victims died. The victims include British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, his teenage daughter Hannah, chairman of Morgan Stanley International Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Anne Elizabeth, New York lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Nada and the yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas. Lynch’s wife is among the survivors, including additional guests, the captain, and most of the crew.
Kreindler Maritime attorneys are currently representing an American family following a pleasure boat cruise accident in Italy. The law firm also represents the families of victims of the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse in Baltimore, Maryland, following the tragic allision between the 984-foot MV Dali container ship and the bridge.
About The Bayesian
According to a news story in The Telegraph, the Bayesian was a British-flagged ship, originally built in Italy in 2008 by Italian shipyard Perini Navi and designed by yacht designer Ron Holland. When it launched, it was built with a 237-foot mast, at the time the tallest in the world (at the time of its sinking, it was the second tallest). It was built to have excellent performance, but some say at the expense of stability. The vessel was purchased in 2014 by Revtom Limited, which lists Mike Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, as its legal owner.
Preliminary Investigation
Italian authorities have opened a criminal investigation with possible manslaughter charges against the captain. Initial reports indicate the captain may have neglected severe weather warnings. Reportedly, rescue and recovery divers found that hatches were left open, which may have caused the vessel to quickly fill with water and sink rapidly in the violent weather. The Guardian reported that sources told Italian media that the boat’s mobile keel was partially raised.
In the Media
Kreindler’s Maritime Experience
Kreindler attorneys are highly experienced in maritime law and adeptly manage challenges related to the Jones Act, Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, Death on the High Seas Act, admiralty jurisdiction, parallel proceedings, international law, and cross-border judgment enforcement. As previously mentioned, Kreindler ship and boating accident attorneys are currently handling an earlier Italian pleasure boat accident case, and the law firm also represents the victims of the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse in Baltimore, Maryland.
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