Mike Lynch’s superyacht seen on the surface for the first time since it sank

Water is being pumped from Mike Lynch’s superyacht as it was seen upright on the surface for the first time since it sank off the coast of Sicily.

Seven people died when the Bayesian sank off the Italian island on August 19, including billionaire Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18.

The 56-metre (184ft) yacht was seen being held in an upright position by one of Europe’s most powerful sea cranes near the fishing town of Porticello on Saturday morning.

A project insider told the PA news agency: “The vessel is on surface, but not clear of the sea as yet.

“Pumping out of water will continue, and it will be lunchtime – following a series of lifting and resting procedures – before she will finally be fully and finally out of the water.”

Salvage workers could be seen on the vessel, which is covered in mud and algae, while the canopy and guard rails are mangled.

Investigators in the UK and Italy say raising the vessel is crucial to fully understanding what happened.

The yacht’s 72-metre (236ft) mast was cut off on Tuesday using a remote-controlled tool and rested on the seabed to be picked up later.

Over the last few days, salvage teams have worked to ease the hull into an upright position and give access to the yacht’s right side, which had previously been lying flat on the seabed 50 metres below the surface.

The vessel is expected to be brought to Termini Imerese – where Italian prosecutors investigating the sinking are based, and on Monday it will be lifted on to a specially made steel cradle on the quayside.

It was originally expected to be raised last month, but salvage efforts were delayed after a diver died during underwater work on May 9, prompting greater use of remote-controlled equipment.

About 70 specialist personnel had been mobilised to Porticello from across Europe to work on the recovery operation, which began last month.

Inquest proceedings in the UK are looking at the deaths of Mr Lynch and his daughter, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals.

Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigators said in an interim report that the Bayesian was knocked over by “extreme wind”.

The yacht had a vulnerability to winds, but the owner and crew would not have known, the report said.

US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, and Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the vessel, also died in the sinking.

Fifteen people, including Mr Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued.

Mr Lynch and his daughter were said to have lived in the vicinity of London and the Bloomers lived in Sevenoaks in Kent.

The tycoon founded software giant Autonomy in 1996 and was cleared in June last year of carrying out a massive fraud over the sale of the firm to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011.

The boat trip was a celebration of his acquittal in the case in the US.

Published: 21/06/2025 by Radio NewsHub