Summary

  • The body of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch has been recovered from the Bayesian yacht off the coast of Sicily, a source close to the family says

  • The search is continuing for one person who's still missing - it's believed it is Mike's 18-year-old daughter, Hannah

  • Five bodies have been brought ashore but they have not been formally identified

  • One body - that of Recaldo Thomas, the yacht's chef - was recovered from the sea on Monday

  • In total, 15 people survived, with six bodies recovered, and one person still missing

  1. Only a matter of time until rescue teams locate sixth bodypublished at 08:04 British Summer Time 22 August

    Mark Lowen
    Reporting from Sicily

    One by one, the last of the missing are being retrieved from the wreckage: passengers who boarded their luxury summer yacht but didn’t come off alive.

    The fifth body found by divers yesterday is expected to be brought ashore this morning and the rescue teams believe it’s only a matter of time until they locate the sixth and final one inside the Bayesian, which lies 50m underwater.

    The bodies are being taken to mortuaries for formal identification and post-mortems.

    Investigators questioned the captain, James Cutfield, for two hours. There are huge questions over whether he took necessary measures amid weather warnings, before a violent storm hit and prompted a waterspout, or mini tornado, which led the vessel to capsize within minutes.

  2. Coastguard heads towards site of sunken yachtpublished at 07:48 British Summer Time 22 August

    The Italian coastguard set off early this morning towards the site of the Bayesian on the fourth day of the search operation for those missing.

    Remotely controlled underwater vehicles are being used, with naval units and cave divers also taking part in the search, the coastguard said yesterday.

    An Italian Coastguard boat heads out to the site of the Bayesian on the fourth day of the searchImage source, PA Media
    An Italian Coastguard boat heads out to the site of the Bayesian on the fourth day of the searchImage source, PA Media
  3. Six things to know this morningpublished at 07:37 British Summer Time 22 August

    • Five bodies have been found on the wreck of the Bayesian, with four of them brought to shore by specialist dive teams
    • One person is still missing and search efforts are continuing this morning
    • The three-day search operation has been complicated by the depth the wreck has sunk to, as well as debris from the yacht obstructing the divers
    • The deceased have not been formally identified by Italian authorities so far
    • The six people confirmed missing are Mike Lynch, Hannah Lynch, Jonathan Bloomer, Judy Bloomer, Chris Morvillo and Neda Morvillo
    • The first confirmed victim of the tragedy, the boat's chef Recaldo Thomas, was found on Monday
  4. Sicily search operation enters fourth daypublished at 07:32 British Summer Time 22 August

    Marita Moloney
    Live page editor

    Welcome back to our live coverage as the search resumes for one person still missing in the wreck of a luxury yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily on Monday.

    Yesterday four bodies were recovered from the Bayesian and brought to shore. Another body was discovered yesterday evening but could not be brought back to shore before night fell.

    Italian authorities are yet to formally identify those found in the vessel but we know that UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch, his daughter and four of his associates are missing.

    Our teams in London and correspondents on the ground in Sicily will bring you live updates as we get them today, so stay with us.

  5. Search to resume in the morning with one person still missingpublished at 20:20 British Summer Time 21 August

    Johanna Chisholm
    Live page editor

    With the search operation over for the evening, here's what we've learned from Sicily today:

    • Five bodies have been found on the wreck of the Bayesian, with four of them brought to shore by specialist dive teams
    • One person is still missing and search efforts are due to continue in the morning
    • The three-day search operation has been complicated by the depth the wreck has sunk to, as well as debris from the yacht obstructing the divers
    • The deceased have not been formally identified by Italian authorities so far
    • The six people confirmed missing are Mike Lynch, Hannah Lynch, Jonathan Bloomer, Judy Bloomer, Chris Morvillo and Neda Morvillo
    • The first confirmed victim of the tragedy, the boat's chef Recaldo Thomas, was found on Monday

    We're going to be pausing our coverage for the day - you can read more on the Sicily tragedy here.

    This page was written by Adam Durbin, Sophie Abdulla, Barbara Tasch, Matt Spivey, Thomas Copeland and was edited by Emily Atkinson, Sam Hancock, Johanna Chisholm and Sean Seddon.

  6. An unsettling calm descends on port as third day of search comes to a closepublished at 20:05 British Summer Time 21 August

    Bethany Bell
    Reporting from Sicily

    The deep blue sea in Porticello harbour looks calm and serene this evening, but it has been a grim few hours here.

    Through the strong lens of a camera, I watched as rescue teams at sea pulled what appeared to be the first body from the water.

    Boats carrying green body bags then began arriving at the quayside where emergency workers had gathered.

    The bags were placed in ambulances in a zone of the port that has been cordoned off for the public.

    The sound of sirens filled the air as the ambulances, escorted by police cars, left the port.

    Journalists and locals gathered on the shore watching as more coastguard vessels left the quayside and headed to the site of the wreck.

    As helicopters circled over our heads, one man pointed out the divers to his small sons.

    "Not easy," he said.

  7. Search and recovery operation will resume tomorrow - Italian authoritiespublished at 19:38 British Summer Time 21 August

    The search operation in Porticello has finished for the day and will resume tomorrow, the head of Sicily's civil protection agency has told the PA news agency.

    Salvatore Cocina confirmed that five bodies have been found, but only four have been recovered from the water.

    One person remains missing, Cocina adds.

  8. Search teams appear to be packing up as sun setspublished at 19:17 British Summer Time 21 August

    Divers in Porticello pack up for the dayImage source, Reuters

    It's just after 20:15 in Sicily (19:15 BST) and the sun has set, with the search operation looking to be closed for the day.

    Cameras in the harbour in Porticello show search teams packing up, loading diving gear onto vehicles or placing equipment inside tents erected on the quayside.

    But we haven't had official confirmation that it's ended for the day - we will update you if that changes.

  9. Crowds gather as bodies return to shorepublished at 19:01 British Summer Time 21 August

    This is what the scene at the harbour in Porticello looks like this evening.

    Members of the public alongside journalists from international media are all watching on as a series of body bags are brought ashore.

    The sinking of the Bayesian has brought unprecedented attention to this small coastal town.

    A man watches on from across the harbourImage source, Reuters
    Crowds watching on from across the harbourImage source, PA
    Crowds watching on from across the harbourImage source, PA Media
  10. When will victims of yacht tragedy be formally identified?published at 18:33 British Summer Time 21 August

    Stefano Fasano
    Live reporter

    Media and rescue crewsImage source, Reuters

    The Italian authorities have been promptly communicating with the BBC, and other media, as five of the six victims have been found, reporting almost on a minute-by-minute basis as they were brought ashore.

    However, they have so far declined to identify the bodies, despite reports from local and international media on some of their names.

    This is likely because the authorities are waiting to recover all six bodies before contacting the victims' families.

    According to Italian law, the bodies must be formally identified by a family member, or a person close to the victims, before the deaths can be officially certified.

    It is possible that the authorities will hold a news conference once all the bodies have been retrieved and brought ashore.

    At present, four bodies have been brought ashore, and rescuers are working to recover a fifth from the Bayesian shipwreck.

  11. Fifth body found on wreckpublished at 18:14 British Summer Time 21 August
    Breaking

    Stefano Fasano
    Live reporter

    Sicilian authorities tell the BBC that divers have found a fifth body inside the Bayesian.

    They are working to retrieve it from the wreck.

    This leaves one person of the six they were looking for still missing.

  12. How underwater teams used 'robots' to search sunken yachtpublished at 17:52 British Summer Time 21 August

    As we reported earlier, the search and rescue team has deployed remote controlled underwater vehicles to help access the yacht.

    Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) can operate on a seabed at a depth of up to 300m (984ft) for between six and seven hours.

    In comparison, divers are only able to search the wreck for about 8-10 minutes per dive.

    The devices are equipped with advanced technology that allows it to search the seabed and can record detailed videos and images using its camera and lights.

    A graphic showing the means being deployed, including drivers and a remotely operated vehicle, to search the wreckage
  13. Divers will be traumatised, says rescue expertpublished at 17:25 British Summer Time 21 August

    Thomas Copeland
    Live reporter

    The team of divers searching for bodies on the sunken Bayesian yacht will be deeply traumatised, an expert has told the BBC.

    "For myself and for my team of divers, it's always very difficult if you have to do this job," says Bertrand Sciboz, who runs a company specialising in shipwreck research and salvage.

    "It's always a big trauma," he adds, even if the divers are used to recover missions like this one.

    Sciboz says it will be especially challenging to recover any missing passengers who were in the lower decks when the yacht sank.

    "The worst thing in this case will be taking off all the debris just floating everywhere in the yacht."

    Search and rescue personnel involved in the Bayesian operationImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Divers involved in the Bayesian operation have been pictured going to and from the Porticello harbour throughout the day

  14. Four bodies brought to shore from boat wreckagepublished at 17:00 British Summer Time 21 August
    Breaking

    Stefano Fasano
    Live reporter

    Four bodies have now been brought to shore from the sunken yacht, the BBC has confirmed.

    The search continues for the two remaining passengers who are still unaccounted for.

    Italian authorities have not confirmed the identities of those recovered this afternoon.

  15. Search and rescue team return with another body bagpublished at 16:57 British Summer Time 21 August

    Images are coming through of another body bag being brought to shore at the harbour in Porticello, Sicily where the search and rescue operation is based.

    As we've been reporting, four bodies have been found on the wreck of Bayesian this afternoon and their identities have not yet been revealed.

    Another body - of the boat's chef, Recaldo Thomas - was found on Monday.

    Two people remain missing.

    Two divers either side of a blue body bag on rescue boat at port of PorticelloImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Divers make their way back to shore as another body bag recovered

    Two divers either side of a blue body bag on rescue boat at port of PorticelloImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Four more bodies have been recovered from the luxury yacht

  16. The search continues for two still missingpublished at 16:28 British Summer Time 21 August

    Sam Hancock
    Live page editor

    Four bodies may have been found in a relatively short space of time this afternoon, but the search continues for the two people still missing after the Bayesian luxury yacht sank on Monday.

    We're yet to be told the identities of those who've been found today.

    Italian officials are likely informing families and loved ones before releasing information to the wider public, and the media.

    As soon as we hear an update, we'll let you know.

    If you'd like to be reminded of the names of the six people divers were searching for when they went back in the water this morning, they're here.

  17. Two more bodies found on sunken yachtpublished at 16:06 British Summer Time 21 August
    Breaking

    Stefano Fasano
    Live reporter

    Two more bodies have been found inside the wreck of the Bayesian yacht, Sicily's civil protection agency has confirmed to the BBC. They are still inside the boat.

    Earlier, two other bodies were located inside the sunken vessel - they have now been brought ashore.

    The identities of the four people found this afternoon have not yet been confirmed.

    This means two passengers, onboard the yacht when it sank on Monday, remain missing.

  18. What we know so farpublished at 15:48 British Summer Time 21 August

    While we wait to hear more about developments in Porticello harbour, here's a quick summary of what we know has happened in the last hour or so:

    • Divers have discovered two bodies inside the wreck of the Bayesian
    • One of them has been brought to shore in a body bag, and efforts to recover the second are under way
    • Specialist divers have been searching the wreck for the six people missing since the yacht sank off the coast of Sicily on Monday
    • Italian authorities have not confirmed the identities of those found in the last hour, but reports in local media indicate one is male
    • The first person to be recovered was the boat's chef, Recaldo Thomas, on Monday
  19. Body bag transported to shorepublished at 15:10 British Summer Time 21 August

    Images have just come through showing search and rescue personnel transporting what appears to be a green body bag to shore.

    You can see them here:

    Rescue personnel transport a body bagImage source, Reuters
    Rescue personnel transport a body bagImage source, Reuters
  20. Who have divers been searching for?published at 15:06 British Summer Time 21 August

    With the news that two more bodies have been found, here's a reminder of the six people who were still missing when divers re-entered the Mediterranean Sea today:

    • UK businessman Mike Lynch, who helped establish Cambridge Neurodynamics and co-founded the firm Autonomy
    • His daughter, Hannah Lynch, an 18-year-old student
    • Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of Morgan Stanley Bank International
    • His wife Judy Bloomer
    • Chris Morvillo, a partner at the law firm Clifford Chance
    • His wife Neda Morvillo, a jewellery designer

    The Italian coastguard has not yet confirmed the age or sex of the two bodies that've just been found.

    The body of the yacht's chef, Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, was found on Monday.