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. Body seen inside yacht is male - reportspublished at 14:58 British Summer Time 21 August

    One of the bodies spotted inside the hull of the yacht is believed to be that of a man, according to reports from Reuters and Italian media.

    Divers are still at the scene working to recover the bodies - the second and third victims of the sinking.

    There has been no official word from Italian authorities on the identities of those who've died.

  2. Body lifted out of waterpublished at 14:55 British Summer Time 21 August
    Breaking

    Bethany Bell
    Reporting from Porticello, Sicily

    I’ve just seen divers lifting what appears to be a body out of the water.

  3. Confirmation of two bodies foundpublished at 14:50 British Summer Time 21 August
    Breaking

    Stefano Fasano
    Live reporter

    The head of Sicily's civil protection agency, Salvatore Cocina, has now confirmed to the BBC that two bodies have been found in the sunken yacht.

    Rescue divers are now working to extract them, he adds.

  4. Two bodies found inside sunken yacht - reportspublished at 14:45 British Summer Time 21 August
    Breaking

    Two bodies have been found inside the sunken yacht off the coast of Sicily, Reuters news agency and Italian media report.

    Reuters cites an unnamed source close to the search operation as saying two of the six missing passengers have been located inside the vessel.

    Rescue teams did not immediately give the names or the sex of the two people, it adds.

    Separately, la Repubblica reports the bodies were seen behind two mattresses.

    Divers have been attempting to access the boat - which is around 50m (165ft) below the surface - since Monday morning.

    The BBC has not independently verified the reports.

  5. Watch: Yacht search continues by sea and airpublished at 14:31 British Summer Time 21 August

    The Italian coastguard has released footage of its ongoing search operation off the coast of Sicily.

    Rescue workers are seen in a helicopter flying over the area in which the yacht sank, and using a remote controlled device to search the seabed.

    It is now around 56 hours since the Bayesian was capsized by a storm.

    Media caption,

    Italian coastguard deploys helicopter and ROV during operation

  6. Divers have just 10 minutes on the wreck without risking sickness, says expertpublished at 14:02 British Summer Time 21 August

    Thomas Copeland
    Live reporter

    A diver jumping from a boatImage source, Reuters

    Rescue divers are facing a "really dangerous" operation getting inside the Bayesian, says a British wreck diving expert.

    Sitting on its side at 50m (165ft) beneath the surface, professional diver Andy Goddard tells BBC Radio 5 Live that it will be "pretty dark" on the wreck - as there's not a lot of ambient light inside.

    "You're in this space and you've got stuff floating all around you, like being in a washing machine. It's really dangerous for the diver," he says.

    On top of this, at that depth the rescuer has just 10 minutes to work on the wreck before being forced to stop and allow excess nitrogen which has built up inside their body to dissipate.

    Otherwise they risk getting a dangerous condition known as decompression sickness, also known as the bends.

    The maximum depth most experienced recreational divers are allowed to go to is 40m (130ft), with most dives occurring at depths significantly less extreme than that.

    "I've done that type of work in shallow water and it really isn't very pleasant," Goddard adds.

    He adds the divers are likely still using scuba gear because they hoped this would be a rescue mission.

    If it becomes clear that this has become "a recovery situation", he says, then the operation will change.

  7. Helicopter deployed as rescue operation continuespublished at 13:53 British Summer Time 21 August

    A fire service helicopter has just landed near the port in Porticello, Sicily, to support the multi-agency search and rescue operation taking place.

    In an update earlier, the coastguard said naval, air and underwater resources were being deployed to support the search for the six missing people.

    A fire brigade helicopter lands near the portImage source, Reuters
    A fire brigade helicopter seen from belowImage source, EPA
    A fire brigade helicopter flying over the portImage source, EPA
  8. BBC Verify

    The last known movements of Bayesian yachtpublished at 13:35 British Summer Time 21 August

    By Kumar Malhotra

    BBC Verify has been looking at ship tracking data of the last movements of the Bayesian before it was hit by freak weather in the early hours of Monday and it shows just how quickly events unfolded.

    The superyacht was less than one kilometre from the entrance to the harbour at Porticello on the northern coast of Sicily, according to the Marinetraffic.com website.

    A map showing the last known movements of the Bayesian

    Just before 04:00 local time (02:00 BST) the Bayesian and a nearby yacht (Sir Robert Baden-Powell) start to move, quickly picking up speed further out to sea and away from Porticello harbour.

    Less than 15 minutes later, the tracking data for the Bayesian shows that it has suddenly stopped, and the nearby yacht also stops shortly afterwards - just 200m (656ft) away.

    The Sir Robert Baden-Powell is then seen moving slowly around in this area, presumably looking to rescue any survivors. The Bayesian is no longer moving, and this is its last recorded position, according to the tracking data.

  9. Bayesian captain 'very well respected,' his brother sayspublished at 13:14 British Summer Time 21 August

    A selfie of James Cutfield from his Facebook accountImage source, Facebook/James Cutfield

    The captain of the sunken Bayesian yacht, James Cutfield, is a "very good sailor" with years of experience, his brother has told the New Zealand Herald.

    The 51-year-old Kiwi - who survived the shipwreck and is currently in hospital - is "very well respected" in the Mediterranean, his brother says.

    He also says Cutfield has been a luxury yacht captain for eight years, working for a Turkish billionaire before Mike Lynch on the Bayesian.

    "He's safe", his brother tells the paper, adding that his wife is by his side.

    As we've been reporting, an assessment has begun into what caused the vessel to go down.

  10. Five things to know this lunchtimepublished at 13:06 British Summer Time 21 August

    As the third day of searching for those missing from the sunken Bayesian yacht continues, here's a reminder of the latest developments:

    • Divers who are trying to gain access to the shipwreck - via a sleeping cabin - have been seen coming to and from the harbour in Porticello, Sicily
    • Their efforts continue to be hampered by a range of issues, including the yacht laying on a tilt on the seabed and 3cm (1.2in) thick glass preventing them from being able to see inside some windows
    • The operation is being aided by remote controlled underwater vehicles, which the coastguard says can operate on the seabed at a depth of up to 300m (984ft) and work for up to seven hours
    • A team of UK inspectors has arrived at the site to conduct a preliminary assessment into the foundering of the yacht, the BBC understands
    • So far, one body has been recovered - believed to be that of Recaldo Thomas, a Canadian-Antiguan and the onboard chef, and six people are still missing: businessman Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah, fellow British citizens Jonathan and Judy Bloomer, and two American citizens, Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo
  11. How air pockets form and what they are - an expert explainspublished at 12:31 British Summer Time 21 August

    Matt Spivey
    Live reporter

    We reported yesterday that Jeremy Bloomer, the twin brother of missing Jonathan Bloomer, had told the BBC he hoped "there might be air pockets" somewhere on the sunken Bayesian yacht - and that he and his family were "coping as best they can" during the ongoing search.

    The Italian coastguard has not said whether there's any evidence onboard the vessel of air pockets, which can help to prolong breathable air. In the meantime, I got in touch with an expert to explain what they are and how they form.

    Matthew Schanck, chair of Maritime Search and Rescue Council, tells me "air pockets form when air is forced into parts of a vessel from which it can't escape".

    "Their formation depends on a number of factors, including the entry points for water and any potential exit points for the air," he says.

    There is also the possibility that air pockets form, Schanck goes on, "but they may not be significant enough to keep the vessel buoyant".

    "Air pockets do eventually run out, depending on the size of the air pocket and what air has been trapped. Air pockets may also be released after the sinking if the vessel is disturbed or shifts."

    A file photo of the Bayesian yacht sailing off the coast of ItalyImage source, Perini Navi Press Office
    Image caption,

    A file photo of the Bayesian yacht sailing off the coast of Italy

  12. How underwater vehicles are supporting the investigationpublished at 12:11 British Summer Time 21 August

    There's just been a progress update from the Italian coastguard as the search for six missing people off the coast of Sicily continues.

    It says the search has "continued without stopping" since dawn, using naval, air and underwater resources, coordinated by the Palermo coastguard.

    As we reported earlier, remote controlled underwater vehicles - known as ROVs, or remotely operated vehicles - have been deployed by the coastguard to support the operation.

    The coastguard hopes it will provide "useful and timely elements" to reconstruct the ship's sinking to an investigation by the nearby public prosecutor's office of Termini Imerese.

    It says the ROV:

    • can operate on the seabed at a depth of up to 300m (984ft), and for between six and seven hours,
    • is equipped with advanced technology that allows it to scour the seabed,
    • and can record detailed videos and images
  13. Rescue divers return to harbourpublished at 11:32 British Summer Time 21 August

    We can bring you some new images now from Porticello, Sicily, where rescue divers have just returned to harbour.

    Divers are facing multiple challenges in accessing the wreckage, which is lying 50m (165ft) below the surface of the water.

    Rescue divers on a boatImage source, PA Media
    Rescue divers returning to the harbour in PorticelloImage source, PA Media
    Rescue divers returning to the harbour in PorticelloImage source, PA Media
  14. UK inspectors in Sicily to conduct assessment, BBC understandspublished at 11:12 British Summer Time 21 August

    A team of four British inspectors from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has arrived in Sicily at the site of the yacht sinking, the BBC understands.

    They're there to conduct a preliminary assessment into the foundering of the Bayesian yacht, which sank near Palermo on Monday.

    Four of the six people still missing are British, the other two are American.

  15. What are waterspouts and how common are they?published at 10:56 British Summer Time 21 August

    Matt Taylor
    BBC Weather

    Witnesses describe seeing a waterspout form during the storm before the Bayesian yacht sank.

    Most of us are aware of what tornadoes are - rotating columns of destructive winds, protruding from the base of clouds down to the ground.

    Waterspouts are just that too, but are over water rather than land. Instead of dust and debris swirling around the core of strong winds, it’s water mist whipped up from the surface.

    Like tornadoes, most are only short-lived, narrow columns and are not easily picked out on weather radars, so many will go unreported.

    However, they are not as rare as you may think. According to the International Centre for Waterspout Research, there were 18 confirmed waterspouts off the coast of Italy on 19 August (the day the yacht went down) alone.

    In the northern hemisphere, waterspouts are most common in late summer and through the autumn, when sea temperatures are at their highest, fuelling the storm clouds. But with sea temperatures rising due to climate change, there is a concern that they could become more common.

    In the last week, the Mediterranean has registered its highest sea surface temperature on record, which has helped to energise this recent storm outbreak.

    Graphic showing how tornado-like waterspouts may have formed
  16. Experts striving to find out why Bayesian sank the way it didpublished at 10:32 British Summer Time 21 August

    Bethany Bell
    Reporting from Sicily

    Questions are continually being asked as to how this incident happened - how it was that this particular yacht was hit and sank this way, when other boats roundabout were not hit.

    A team of British investigators is here in Sicily, working closely with the Italians to try and assess what happened.

    There have been questions about whether it was the mast, whether hatches were closed - but of course the priority remains locating the missing.

    Many people, experts in the field, have described the waterspout (we'll explain that in our next post) as an extreme condition, something that is very hard to plan for in terms of knowing it’s going to come then and where.

    However, people will be asking whether there were enough measures taken to mitigate such extreme weather events, which of course we know can happen.

  17. Rescue workers to try entering sleeping cabin todaypublished at 10:05 British Summer Time 21 August

    Bethany Bell
    Reporting from Sicily

    Italian emergency services gathered at Porticello harbourImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Italian emergency services gathered at Porticello harbour this morning

    This is a very challenging operation.

    Rescue services say they have teams of specialist divers who are used to working in small, cramped quarters. The depth of the shipwreck is proving a big challenge.

    They have also been hampered, we’ve been told, by the fact that the boat is lying on its side and the access points are choked with debris, so it’s very difficult to gain access to the yacht itself.

    What we understand is that they want today to try and get into a cabin where some of the missing may have been sleeping.

    The rescue services know that with every passing hour, the chances of finding people still alive is diminishing.

    However, in the words of one rescue worker, never say never.

  18. More vessels head to site of sunken yachtpublished at 09:55 British Summer Time 21 August

    We're beginning to see more images from this morning, as the search and recue operation entered its third day.

    A variety of vessels have headed out to sea, off the coast of Porticello in Sicily, as the coastguard scours the ocean surface and divers attempt to gain access to the cabins inside the wreck for any sign of the six missing passengers.

    Here's the scene:

    Rescue divers climbing onto a boatImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Rescue divers were seen climbing onto a boat - bringing what look like air tanks with them

    A Italian Coast Guard vesselImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Italian costguard vessels have been present since the operation began

    An inflatable emergency lifeboatImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    An inflatable emergency lifeboat was also pictured this morning

  19. Six things hampering the search and rescue operationpublished at 09:40 British Summer Time 21 August

    More now on the Bayesian yacht rescue operation, which Matthew Schanck, of the Maritime Search and Rescue Council, says will be aided by survivors' accounts, witnesses and examination of the sunken vessel.

    Speaking to Reuters, he says he's "confident the authorities will get to the bottom of what caused the shipwreck".

    The Italian coastguard is yet to share an update this morning, but yesterday the BBC heard about some of things that make this search difficult:

    • The wreckage is 50m (165ft) below the surface of the water - laying on a tilt on the seabed
    • A 'world of objects' are blocking access to the cabins, meaning that divers can only access a small section of the boat
    • Divers can only spend between eight to 10 minutes searching the wreck beneath the water during each dive
    • Divers are unable to see inside the yacht as 3cm (1.2inch) thick glass windows are preventing access
    • Specialist divers who are trained to work in the small spaces have had to be flown in from Rome and Sardinia
    • The bridge of the yacht - the room where the captain controls the vessel - is full of electrical cables
  20. Vicar describes 'sense of shock' at missing couple's churchpublished at 09:12 British Summer Time 21 August

    Daniel Sexton & Mark Norman
    Reporting from Knockholt

    As we said in our earlier post, Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of Morgan Stanley Bank International, and his wife Judy are among the six people still missing.

    Their local vicar in the south-east of England has expressed shock at what's happened, describing it as "really impossible news to take onboard".

    The couple, who live in Knockholt, Kent, regularly attended St Katharine's Church in the village. They're well known to locals and to other churchgoers, the Reverend Tim Edwards tells the BBC.

    "I'm not going to say much about how the rest of the family feel - but I think they'd say similar to what I'd say now about that sense of shock," he says.