The Bayesian, a luxurious super yacht carrying a crew of business moguls and their families, set sail from the Amalfi Coast bound for Sicily but ended up sinking 160 feet under the water less than a month later. The ship sank in a storm that saw at least one tornado form over the water, prompting a massive search for the missing passengers, including two Americans. Experts are now trying to determine the factors that led to the ship’s sudden demise.
Chairman of the Maritime Search and Rescue Council, Matthew Schanck, described the Bayesian’s sinking as a “black swan event,” as it involved unlikely circumstances that led to its fate. The ship was well-built and met international maritime standards, making its sinking even more extraordinary. The storm that swept the area at the time was unusual for the northern Mediterranean, which is not typically known for prolonged severe weather.
Local meteorologists believe that a water spout, a tornado over water, likely formed due to the unusually warm water temperature in the area that day. This may have contributed to the ship sinking, as water spouts can generate strong winds that could have caused the yacht to tip over and flood. The ship’s crew may not have seen the water spout coming due to low visibility, especially if the yacht’s windows were open.
Italian authorities suspect the Bayesian was at anchor when the storm hit, preventing it from maneuvering and riding the waves like other ships in the area. The position of the keel, a heavy weight that helps stabilize the ship, may have played a role in the sinking. The exact cause of the disaster remains unknown and will likely require further investigation. The search operation is expected to transition to a recovery phase soon, as hope of finding survivors on the water surface diminishes.
As the search for survivors continued, the fate of the missing passengers, including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his daughter, remained uncertain. The tragedy has drawn international attention, with experts working to understand how a seemingly routine cruise ended in disaster. The decision to shift to a recovery operation will depend on whether signs of life are found within the sunken ship. The maritime search and rescue efforts are ongoing, with a focus on locating and retrieving any casualties from the vessel.
