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Salvage work postponed - Hebo Lift 10 underway

The salvage of the "Bayesian," which was due to start on April 20, has been postponed. The highly complex operation to raise the yach off Porticello is now scheduled to begin on April 27, one week later than planned, due to unfavourable weather conditions. However, the question also arises as to whether the Perini Navi shipyard bears any responsibility for the sinking of the yacht. The salvage operation is scheduled to be completed by mid-May. After being raised, the ship will be brought to the port of Termini Imerese near Palermo, where the public prosecutor's office is also located. The cost of the salvage operation is estimated at around US$30 million and will be covered by an international insurance consortium. On April 19 the Dutch crane vessel 'Hebo Lift 10' (IMO: 8010506) left the Port of Rotterdam. If weather conditions are favourable, it will arrive in Palermo on May 4, after which it will move to Porticello on May 5. Preparatory work on the wreck, including the dismantling of the rigging, is scheduled to begin as early as April 28. The yacht is considered structurally sound, and the 75-meter-high aluminum mast with six rows of spreaders is still firmly in place. The yacht is lying approximately 49 metres below the surface, which is a challenging depth for divers, likely requiring specialist equipmen, such as a saturation diving system. After dismantling the rigging, the hull will first be righted and secured against possible fuel leaks. Once the mast is removed, the divers will drain the fuel on board - approximately 18 tons - and rig the sailing yacht to the 'Hebo Lift 10', which will then perform a controlled lift to remove the 'Bayesian' from the water. Authorities plan for the wreckage to be completely recovered by the end of May. The Bayesian will then be transferred to the port of Termini Imerese, where it will be made available to the judiciary for technical and legal investigations. The salvage operation is considered crucial to determining the causes of the sinking. The Termini Imerese Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating British Captain James Cutfield and two crew members for negligent average and negligent homicide: Chief Engineer Tim Parker Eaton and Deckhand Matthew Griffith, who was on watch on the bridge at the time of the accident. At the same time, the British Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has also launched its own technical investigation, which is currently suspended until the Italian judiciary completes its investigation. Technical experts from both countries will be granted access to the wreck to examine possible structural damage, human error, or technical defects.

Salvage to commence end of April

The salvage start of the "Bayesian" will be on 'April 26, and the wreck is to brought to shore by the end of May, Simon Graves, a principal investigator for the Marine Accident Investigation Branch told a pre-inquest hearing said on April 15. The inquests into the deaths of Lynch and the other three British victims are being held in Ipswich. Inquests were opened and adjourned in October pending the completion of probes by both the UK investigators and a criminal inquiry by Italian prosecutors. An MAIB interim report on whether there were any breaches of maritime legislation could be published online in four to six weeks, with the final report to follow in months. The Coroner Nigel Parsley said he was in the hands of the criminal investigations as to when a final inquest hearing date could be set. The inquest in the UK is examining the deaths of the British tech mogul Mike Lynch and his daughter, Hannah, 18, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his 71-year-old wife Judy Bloomer, who were also British nationals. The others who died were US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, and Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the yacht. Angela Bacares, Lynch's wife and Hannah's mother, was among the 15 survivors.

Salvage start fixed

The start of the salvage of the "Bayesian" has been set for April 20 . The complex operation is intended to bring clarity into the cause of the sinking on a water depth of 50 meters deep off the coast of Porticello. The sinking of the yacht on Aug19, 2024, has left many unanswered questions. Experts have speculated about the causes of the rapid sinking. One theory waas that open hull flaps such as the large stern platform or the side boarding platform could have played a role. But even in this case, watertight bulkheads between the lazarette, engine room and cabins should have prevented an immediate sinking - unless one of the bulkhead doors was open. Another hypothesis focused on the wind attack surface of the mast. Even without sails set, the massive mast in combination with hurricane gusts could have caused a strong heeling. This in turn would have partially lifted the hull out of the water and given the wind additional attack surface. The lifting keel of the "Bayesian", which could vary between 4.05 and 9.38 meters in draft, could have further reduced the righting moment in the raised position. The salvage will be carried out by a consortium of insurers led by British Marine. The plan is to first turn the yacht onto its keel and then bring it to the surface using cranes or innovative buoyancy systems. After being raised, the "Bayesian" will be taken to Palermo for a forensic examination. This examination is of crucial importance as an investigation into manslaughter and murder is underway in Italy. At the same time, an inquest into the deaths of four British victims has been opened in the Coroner's Court in Ipswich in the United Kingdom. The findings could have far-reaching consequences for the safety standards of superyachts and possibly lead to changes in design and construction.