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What caused the fatal sinking of the superyacht Bayesian?

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Perini Navi

Founded by Fabio Perini, who was the first to conceive and implement an automatic system for managing sail plans of this size, Perini Navi has charted a new course for the sailing yacht industry.

Since January 2022, Perini Navi has become part of The Italian Sea Group, the group founded by Giovanni Costantino, that today is one of the world’s leading builders of motor yachts.

Within The Italian Sea Group, Perini Navi brand is fully dedicated to the world of sailing. Specialised in the design and manufacturing of large sailing yachts, Perini Navi boasts a fleet of almost 60 yachts delivered and world leadership in sailing yachts over 50m.

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Tragic sinking of superyacht Bayesian; Italian prosecutors investigate

• Heather Prentice
• August 29, 2024

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.

Italian prosecutors are investigating the circumstances surrounding 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 sailboat that was the first to assist, described the storm as ‘very, very violent’ 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-person 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.

The prosecutors from Termini Imerese in Sicily have placed Bayesian captain James Cutfield and two British crew members, ship engineer Tim Parker-Eaton and sailor Matthew Griffiths, under investigation, Italian news outlets reported.

The men are being probed on charges of suspected multiple negligent manslaughter and causing a shipwreck. There is no indication of guilt at this stage and formal charges may not necessarily follow.

Parker-Eaton is being investigated for possibly failing to activate security systems to close the boat’s hatches and doors, which could have caused the engine room to flood, provoking a black out and contributing to the shipwreck, Italian news agency ANSA reported, citing investigative sources.

Griffiths, who was on night watch in the cockpit, allegedly should have warned about the arrival of the violent weather event that led to the ship sinking, ANSA reported.

The investigators will also look at the design, stability and operation of the vessel, which has a 72-metre aluminium mast, the tallest in the world, and a lifting keel as well as the effects of the severe weather conditions, including a downburst, and the role of the New Zealand captain and the eight other crew.

The bodies of UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah Lynch, Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of Morgan Stanley International and his wife, Judy and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda, were recovered from the yacht’s interior by divers several days later.

The body of the yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas, was located shortly after the vessel sank.

The 15 survivors, who were rescued from a life raft, were Lynch’s wife Angela Bacares and five guests, including a one-year-old, as well as Cutfield and the crew.

Suddenly the healing increased

‘A crew member has reported that the weather deteriorated and they (the crew) were on deck securing everything moveable (cushions, doors, etc) and the boat was heeling about 20° to starboard in the strong wind,’ ANSA reported. ‘Suddenly the heeling increased and they were in the water. This sounds like sudden massive downflooding.’

ANSA also reported that the retractable keel with a large pivoting centre board was normally only deployed when sailing and was retracted at night to reduce noise.

The yacht sank on her starboard side in 50 metres of water.

A downburst hit

Italian prosecutors said they believed that a downburst had hit the ship, contradicting early reports of a tornado or waterspout. In a downburst, air shoots down from the base of the cloud producing wind speeds of more than 100 mph (160km/h) before spreading out unpredictably on hitting the surface.

Thunderstorms are reasonably common in Europe during the late summer and widespread low pressure in August is thought to have increased the severity of the storms.

The International Centre for Waterspout Research confirmed 18 waterspouts off the coast of Italy on 19 August.

Unusually warm seas may also have increased the severity of the storms, with the Mediterranean hitting a record high sea temperature of 28.9° on 15 August.

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50.2m  /  164'8 | perini navi | 2012.

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Special Features:

• Impressive 4,837nm range
• ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) ✠A1, Yachting Service, Ⓔ, ✠AMS classification
• Interior design from Perini Navi
• Sleeps 10 overnight

The 50.2m/164'8" sail yacht 'Enterprise' was built by Perini Navi in Italy at their Viareggio shipyard. Her interior is styled by Italian designer design house Perini Navi and she was delivered to her owner in June 2012. This luxury vessel's exterior design is the work of Perini Navi.

Guest Accommodation

Enterprise has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 10 guests in 5 suites. She is also capable of carrying up to 9 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

Range & Performance

Enterprise is built with a aluminium hull and aluminium superstructure, with teak decks. Enterprise comfortably cruises at 12 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 15 knots with a range of up to 4,837 nautical miles from her 40,000 litre fuel tanks. Her water tanks store around 13,000 Litres of fresh water. She was built to ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) ✠A1, Yachting Service, Ⓔ, ✠AMS classification society rules, and is MCA Compliant.

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Best Perini Navi Yachts for Sale

Specializing in premium craftsmanship of some of the largest super sailing yacht builds in the world, Perini Navi’s continuous evolution in the design, engineering and construction of superyachts in aluminum and has made them the market leader in the large, custom super sailing yacht sector. For more than three decades, Perini Navi has influenced the concept of the modern sailing yacht and has become well known for its innovative yacht designs. Their success is in part to its in-house design team and facilities to build their own special sail system of alloy masts. In fact, all Perini Navi’s sail controls, masts and rigging are developed and manufactured in-house.

Perini Navi Heritage

The Perini Navi Group, which today comprises four companies, offers luxury racing and cruising sailing yachts and in 2007 launched a sister division with a series of large motor yachts. Perini Navi was originally founded by Fabio Perini in 1983 in Viareggio, Italy. Unable to find a large sailing yacht that he could operate single handed, Fabio created a company to design and engineer his own vessel and launched a prototype sailing yacht with ample living space that could be sailed with a reduced crew. That yacht is still sailing the high seas today, going by the name of Elettra. Today Elettra boasts enhanced sailing and operating mechanical systems similar to the ones found on the new generation of Perini Navi yachts. She is petite compared with Perini’s greatest achievement, the MALTESE FALCON, but having been put to the test in 35+ knots of wind, Elettra can more than hold her own at the annual Perini Navi Cup in Sardinia.

For the Adventurous at Heart

By 1988 the company was building its own designs and had developed a computerized sail-handling system that enabled the sails to be furled and unfurled with the push of a button. In 2017, Fabio Perini opened the share capital of Perini Navi to new investors and with Fenix Srl, the holding company of the Italian Tabacchi family, Perini Navi’s two brands, Perini Navi and Picchiotti, merged into one.

Along with the original Perini headquarters in Viareggio, the Italian company comprises facilities in La Spezia, Italy, Tuzla, Turkey and a charter and sales division based in New England’s Rhode Island. The main shipyard and central offices in Viareggio produce the majority of the group’s two lines – the Racing Line and the Fast Cruising Line. The Perini Navi series of motor yachts, which were previously built under the Pichiotti name, are produced in the La Spezia shipyard, where there are 230-foot (70m) hangars, two travel lifts and 164-foot (50m) piers. The group’s metalworking division is in Yildiz, Turkey, and has a space for hull and superstructure construction. It was here that special projects such as the ground breaking MALTESE FALCON was created in 2006. With three masts with curvilinear spars, naval architecture by Gerald Dijkstra and Partners, and interior design by Ken Freivokh Studio, the 300-foot (88m) MALTESE FALCON was the first of its kind to be seen on the market with the revolutionary sailing system ‘the Falcon Rig’. Since then Perini Navi have been responsible for the build of iconic vessels the likes of the 196-foot (60m) PERSEUS 3, which features the tallest carbon fiber mast ever built and the biggest downwind sail area on a yacht thanks to her unique bowsprit. Most recently Perini Navi have presented models from both its sailing and motor yacht series – E-Volution and Argonaut respectively – that make up part of its enhanced range.

To date the Perini Navi Group has constructed over 59 sailing yachts ranging from 80-feet (25m) to 300-feet (88m) in length, and four motor yachts ranging from the 83-foot (25m) ECO-TENDER to the 240-foot (73m) NAUTILUS (formerly GRACE E). They have another four super sailing yachts and two motor yachts currently under construction.

Perini Navi has attracted numerous famous owners and has won countless awards for their quality builds and innovative projects (close to 70 awards at last count).

The Perini Navi Group also offers clients a selection of service and refit facilities from the shipyards in La Spezia and Viareggio, as well as by Rybovich in the U.S.

Renowned for their high quality craftmanship and interior finish, exceptional comfort and seakeeping, Perini Navi builds are amongst some of the most highly sought-after superyachts for sale and charter. For further information on Perini Navi yachts for sale, a new build Perini Navi or to charter a Perini Navi yacht , contact your Northrop & Johnson broker.

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Published on August 27th, 2024 | by Editor

Former Bayesian captain offers insight

Published on August 27th, 2024 by Editor -->

Stephen Edwards , captain of the 58.6m Perini Navi built Seahawk, was previously Captain from 2015 to 2020 for the 56m Perini Navi Bayesian which sank August 19 with seven deaths while at anchor off the coast of Porticello, Italy.

While investigators seek answers for why a storm downburst led to this tragedy, and whether manslaughter and negligent shipwreck are to be brought, Edwards issued the following statement from his experience with the 2008 yacht:

Having been bombarded with requests for information from journalists around the World for my input into the loss of S/Y Bayesian a week ago, I have finally decided to make some notes on the subject.

I have no desire to contribute to the wild speculation and claims that we have seen so far, or in any way suggest what really happened… only those on board at the time will know that, but I can shed some light on the characteristics of the vessel and some of the limitations that would likely be involved in this disaster.

Bayesian (ex Salute) was a 56m Perini Navi, part of a very successful series of hulls. She was the only one built as a sloop rig (single mast), with the tallest aluminum mast ever constructed. I’m going to discuss step-by-step what I hope are pertinent facts about the boat and her design and operation that are relevant to this event.

1. Mast The mast and rig were certainly a major feature of the yacht and presented structural challenges in construction and ongoing life. As it pushed the boundaries of aluminum mast construction there were lessons that had to be learned over the years, but the result was a robust and well controlled rig in the end that performed well, within the limits of the design. The vessel is delivered with a set of sailplan recommendations that for a range of wind strengths will cause the vessel to sail within the structural limits of the rig and heeling limits of the hull.

2. Ballast The height of Bayesian’s mast was of course considered in the overall design of the boat by Perini’s engineers. To this end she was equipped with an extra 30T of lead ballast in her keel box (we’ll come to that in a bit) compared to the 56m ketch rigged sister ships. This was to counter the extra mass, higher center of gravity and higher center of effort (from sailing forces) that the sloop rig created.

The main lead ballast was contained in a more or less rectangular box (keel box) attached below the canoe shaped part of the hull. The precise mass of this ballast I do not recall, but it’s probably around 200T or so. In the center part of this box there is the moveable keel, which weighed around 60T and extended almost 6m below the keel box when lowered. This arrangement means that the majority of the righting moment of the vessel comes from the main ballast… the moveable keel acting more as a centerboard to reduce sideslip under sail (leeway)…

3. Stability All yachts such as Bayesian are delivered with a “Stability information Book”. This document is approved by the flag state of the boat and defines the loading and operation limits. It also contains information on the righting characteristics. The operational limitations defined in the stability book must be adhered too at all times which is the responsibility of the master.

One section of the Bayesian Stability book related to the use of the moveable keel… and defines when it must be lowered. In this vessel’s case it was required to be lowered when using sails, and/ or when over 60 nautical miles offshore (regardless of whether sailing or only using engines). At all other times, it could be in the raised position.

The stability book also contains information regarding righting angles and the watertight integrity of the hull. There are two important numbers here… Angle of Vanishing Stability (AVS) and the Downflooding Angle.

The Angle of Vanishing Stability is the angle of heel at which the vessel righting moment reaches zero, meaning that the vessel will not return to upright. Again, I forget the actual numbers for this, but the figures would be around 90 degrees with the moveable keel lowered and 75 degrees with it raised.

The Downflooding Angle is much more important though in the scenario we are talking about. This is the angle of heel at which water will start to enter the vessel (usually through engine room or accommodation ventilation ducts)… once this starts the vessels is in serious trouble as stability is quickly reduced or lost due to the flooding.

The downflooding angle for Bayesian was around 40-45 degrees… much less than the AVS. So, unless the vent dampers are closed (which with HVAC systems and generator running they would NOT be as they need to be open for that), the vessel will start to flood rapidly if heeled more than the downflooding angle.

4. Hull Openings Bayesian had only one shell door in the hull, on the port side aft. As this was very close to the waterline, it was rarely used (remembering the extra 30T of ballast mentioned earlier… this caused the water line to be 100mm higher than other 56m Perinis, hence much closer to the bottom of the shell opening meaning it could only be opened in flat calm conditions… 100% it was NOT open at night)

There are no opening windows or portholes, which are all made from laminated marine glass bonded to the hull & superstructure.

Other deck hatch / superstructure openings that breach the watertight integrity on Bayesian are on or close to the centerline of the vessel. For these to be taking water if open, the vessel would have to be heeled way beyond the Downflooding Angle mentioned earlier, and hence already flooding via ducting/vents.

Only one opening was located far from the centerline, and could be vulnerable to downflooding at lower angles of heel… this is the deck access to the lazarette area towards the stern. However, as it is located on the port (left) side of the aft deck, it would be unlikely to be an initial factor in this scenario as we know that Bayesian was knocked down to starboard, and as such this hatch, even if opened as crew were on deck etc, would have been one of the later parts to submerge.

5. Summary The vessel Bayesian was sound and seaworthy by design, and to my knowledge well maintained as such. However, heeling her to more than around 45 degrees while in normal operational state could result in flooding and subsequent loss if the flooding could not be controlled.

The weather conditions that could have created these extreme circumstances can indeed occur with very little warning and being so localized are difficult to prepare for, leaving a very short time for the crew to react.

How the vessel came to be taken outside her operation limits is what the investigators will need to determine, which I’m sure they will.

Tags: Bayesian tragedy , Perini Navi , Stephen Edwards

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Sailing yachts like Mike Lynch's are 'unsinkable bodies', CEO of boat manufacturing firm says

Bayesian superyacht which sank off Italy is an "unsinkable" vessel, Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, said.

By Ashna Hurynag, news correspondent and Eleonora Chiarella, producer

Sunday 25 August 2024 08:48, UK

Vessels like Mike Lynch's stricken superyacht are "unsinkable", according to the chief executive of the firm which makes and sells them.

Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, told Sky News there are no flaws with the design and construction of the Bayesian superyacht which capsized in a storm off the coast of Porticello, Sicily, on Monday.

Five bodies were found by divers on Wednesday - taking the number of confirmed dead to six.

The Italian Sea Group also owns the firm that built British tech tycoon Mr Lynch's Bayesian, and Mr Costantino said the vessels "are the safest in the most absolute sense".

"Being the manufacturer of Perini [boats], I know very well how the boats have always been designed and built," he said.

"And as Perini is a sailing ship... sailing ships are renowned to be the safest ever."

He said their structure and keel made them "unsinkable bodies".

Read more on this story: Why search of superyacht wreck has been so difficult Hero mum 'slept with baby on deck when storm sank yacht'

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Mr Costantino said news of the sinking "put me in a state of sadness on one side and of disbelief on the other".

"This incident sounds like an unbelievable story, both technically and as a fact," he said.

It is understood Italian prosecutors investigating the incident are continuing to hold interviews with the survivors.

On Tuesday they questioned the captain for more than two hours to help reconstruct what happened and provide useful technical details.

Four British inspectors are also in Porticello and have begun a preliminary assessment of events.

It is understood they will look at all relevant aspects of the incident, including the design, stability, and operation of the vessel. They will also examine the effects of the weather conditions experienced.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Twenty-two people were on board the vessel, 15 of whom were rescued - including Briton Charlotte Golunski and her one-year-old daughter Sofia.

Divers will resume efforts on Thursday morning to bring ashore a body they found earlier. One more person remains missing.

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Mike Lynch Died in Sicily Yacht Sinking, Now His Widow Could Be Liable for $4B Because of Hewlett Packard Claim

Hewlett Packard Enterprise said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that that they intend to "follow the proceedings through to their conclusion"

Simon Dawson/Bloomberg via Getty

Hewlett Packard Enterprises is not dropping fraud claims against British tech mogul Mike Lynch , who died last month after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Sicily  — and will continue to pursue damages of up to $4 billion from his estate.

In 2022, Britain’s High Court ruled that the information technology company “had substantially succeeded in its civil fraud claims,” according to a statement from the company that was obtained by PEOPLE. 

The claims were made against Lynch and Sushovan Hussain, the former chief financial officer of Autonomy, a business software company Lynch founded, which was sold to Hewlett Packard in 2011 for $11 billion.

A damages hearing was held in Feb. 2024  — months before Lynch was acquitted in a separate U.S. trial related to the sale  — and HPE said in its statement that the "judge's decision regarding damages" due to the company is expected to be issued "in due course."

“It is HPE’s intention to follow the proceedings through to their conclusion," the statement continued.

Angela Bacares, Lynch's widow  — who was rescued after the sinking,  which also resulted in the death of the couple's 18-year-old daughter Hannah — could be liable for the damages, per the Associated Press .

A spokesperson for Lynch's family had no comment when contacted by PEOPLE on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

PERINI NAVI PRESS OFFICE/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

In 2015, HPE sued Lynch and Sushovan, who both denied wrongdoing, seeking $6.5 billion in damages, according to The New York Times .

Although it remains to be seen how much HPE will be awarded in damages, Judge Robert Hildyard previously said he expected the amount will be "substantially" less than what the company sought, according to the Times and the AP.

The newspaper reported that Lynch planned to appeal.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

A source close to the survivors previously told PEOPLE that the yacht had traveled from the Aeolian Islands to  celebrate Lynch's recent acquittal , the end of a legal saga that began in 2018, when he was indicted on several counts of securities fraud and conspiracy.

“That's why he took his closest friends and colleagues on the trip,” the source added.

 ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images

Lynch and his daughter were among the seven victims who died after the luxury yacht  Bayesian  sank off the coast of Sicily  on Monday, Aug. 19.

Other victims were identified as New York City-based lawyer  Christopher Morvillo , who helped Lynch get acquitted, and his wife Neda, as well as Morgan Stanley International chairman  Jonathan Bloomer  and his wife. Yacht chef Recaldo Thomas also died.

ITALIAN COAST GUARD HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 

Ambrogio Cartosio, the chief prosecutor of Termini Imerese, announced on Aug. 24 that a manslaughter investigation had been launched into the sinking. 

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Bayesian yacht sinking latest: Captain ‘insists he did everything he could’ to save passengers

Captain james cutfield, ship engineer tim parker eaton and sailor matthew griffith all under investigation for manslaughter, article bookmarked.

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The captain of the Bayesian has insisted that he did everything possible to save those on board the superyacht , according to local reports.

Sources close to James Cutfield, 51, told the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera that the 51-year-old New Zealander is currently living through the darkest days of his life as he is under investigation for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges.

They reportedly said Mr Cutfield repeatedly insists that he did not abandon any of the 22 passengers and crew and that he did everything could could to save them.

However, there reached a point when he could do little as the vessel had taken on too much water, they added.

Since Wednesday, Tim Parker Eaton, the engineer who was in charge of securing the yacht’s engine room, and sailor Matthew Griffith, who was on watch duty on the night of the disaster, are also under investigation for the same possible charges , their lawyer said on Friday.

British technology tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among the seven people who were killed after his superyacht capsized and went down on 19 August within minutes of being hit by a pre-dawn storm off the coast of Sicily .

Who was on the Bayesian?

British technology tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among the people initially unaccounted for after his superyacht Bayesian sank in a storm off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of 19 August.

Last Saturday morning, Italian authorities announced a manslaughter investigation had been launched into the deaths of seven people, after a five-day operation that has seen divers carefully navigating their way into the cabin bedrooms.

After a decade-long legal battle which had seen him extradited to the US to face an $11bn fraud case, Mr Lynch had celebrated by inviting his close friends, colleagues and those who helped him on his legal team aboard his boat as a gesture of gratitude.

Here’s what we know about the 22 people on board:

Who was on Bayesian and how they were celebrating end of Mike Lynch’s court battles

Italian authorities announced a manslaughter investigation had been launched into the deaths of seven people

Ex-court appointed guard says Mike Lynch ‘became more like a family’

A court-appointed armed guard, tasked with ensuring Mike Lynch did not abscond while facing fraud charges, has paid tribute to the tech mogul, saying the security team “became less of a detail and more like a family”.

Rolo Igno also described “the memory of a beautiful soul” in Mr Lynch’s daughter Hannah, 18, after they died in the sinking of the luxury superyacht Bayesian off the coast of Sicily early on 19 August.

Mr Lynch founded software giant Autonomy in 1996, and was cleared in June of carrying out a massive fraud relating to its 11 billion dollar (£8.64 billion) sale to US company Hewlett Packard, after a trial at a federal court in San Francisco , California.

Ellie Ng reports:

Rolo Igno also paid tribute to ‘the memory of a beautiful soul’ in Mr Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter Hannah.

Three crew members under investigation left Italy on Wednesday

The three crew members who are under investigation over the sinking of the Bayesian superyacht left Italy on Wednesday, according to a lawyer.

The ship’s captain, New Zealander James Cutfield, Tim Parker Eaton, the engineer who was in charge of securing the yacht’s engine room, and sailor Matthew Griffith, who was on watch duty on the night of the disaster, have all been placed under investigation for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges.

Lawyer Mario Scopesi said that both Parker Eaton and Griffith left Italy on Wednesday, along with Cutfield and the rest of the crew.

Teenager who died in superyacht tragedy was ‘diamond in sea of stars’

The daughter of tech tycoon Mike Lynch, who died with her father on the luxury superyacht Bayesian, has been described as a “diamond in a sea of stars” by a survivor from the tragedy.

Hannah Lynch, aged 18, was one of 22 people onboard her father’s luxury boat the Bayesian when it capsized during stormy weather on 19 August.

Her body was discovered along with her father by rescue teams following the disaster off the island of Sicily. A manslaughter investigation has since been launched by Italian authorities.

Teenager who died in superyacht tragedy was ‘a diamond in a sea of stars’

Hannah Lynch was among seven people, including her father Mike, who died after the luxury superyacht Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily

Watch: Moment Bayesian yacht engulfed by storm

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