Shipwreck of the Bayesian, expert Nick Sloane: At least six victims could have been saved

New revelations reported by leading British media keep the spotlight on the dramatic shipwreck of the superyacht Bayesian. In an interview with the Daily Mail, South African Nick Sloane – one of the world’s foremost experts in maritime salvage and former head of the Costa Concordia recovery operations – stated that at least six of the seven people who died could have survived if the rescue operations had been conducted differently.

On 19 August 2024, the 56-metre Perini, considered “unsinkable”, capsized off Porticello, Sicily, during a violent storm. Among the victims were British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah.

Air pockets and a missed opportunity

According to Sloane, investigations revealed that six of the seven victims had taken refuge in air pockets inside the hull, dying later from asphyxiation rather than drowning. The expert believes that, had an operation been launched in the first hours after the sinking to pump air into the yacht, there would have been a real chance of saving them.

The Italian divers who intervened in the following days, although highly trained, could only operate for a few minutes at a depth of about 50 metres and did not have the specialist equipment required for extended operations under such conditions.

Testimony of Lynch’s widow, owner of the Bayesian

On the anniversary of the tragedy, Mike Lynch’s widow, Angela Bacares, told The Times that she had never imagined such a dramatic event could happen on board the Bayesian.

“Over the years I feared minor incidents, such as hitting rocks or getting caught on an anchor,” she said, “but I never thought something catastrophic could happen. That night I felt safe on the yacht. The waves made the yacht roll, but not enough to move objects in the cabin. I was not worried; rather, I was curious to understand what was happening.”

Mrs Bacares added that she believed until the very last moment that her husband and daughter would manage to swim to safety and that the yacht would not capsize.

Wreck recovered: what future for the Bayesian?

The wreck of the Bayesian was recovered in June 2025 and transferred to Termini Imerese, where the Italian judiciary has launched further technical investigations.

According to Sloane, despite having lain for 10 months at a depth of 50 metres, the large sailing yacht could be restored with an investment significantly lower than that required for a newbuild. However, the decision rests with insurers and the victims’ families. The question remains whether, once refitted and brought back to “as new” condition, this 56-metre Perini – with its tragic and mysterious past – would ever find an owner willing to make it their yacht.

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