Salvage Experts Retrieve Sunken Superyacht of Tech Tycoon Mike Lynch

PALERMO, Italy, June 20 (Reuters) – Salvage experts successfully winched Mike Lynch’s sunken superyacht towards the surface on Friday, marking a significant milestone in the recovery efforts that have spanned 10 months since the tragic incident off the coast of Sicily. The yacht went down, claiming the lives of the British tech tycoon, his teenage daughter, and five others.

The vessel is set to be lifted out of the water in the final phase of the recovery operation on Saturday, as confirmed by TMC Marine, the leading company overseeing the salvage process.

“Accelerated progress in salvage works off the coast of northern Sicily mean that all preparations are now nearing completion, ahead of the delicate lifting procedure,” stated the company.

The salvage operation briefly paused last month following the unfortunate death of a diver involved in the mission.

The 56-meter-long (184-foot) Bayesian sank during a sudden storm while moored off the small port of Porticello near Palermo in August last year.

Recovery Process and Investigation

The UK interim report revealed that the yacht was susceptible to violent winds, likely capsizing due to gusts exceeding 117 km (73 miles) per hour. The recovery process was facilitated after detaching the vessel’s 72-meter mast using a remote-controlled cutting tool, which was then placed on the seabed earlier this week.

The hull of the yacht is now supported by a specialized steel wire lifting arrangement connected to a floating lifting asset, positioned between two barges from Hebo Maritimeservice, a Dutch salvage company.

As preparations intensify for the final lift, the salvage experts are reinforcing the cables to accommodate the increased weight of the yacht once it is raised from the water, according to a source at the Italian coast guard.

Future Plans and Tragic Loss

Following the yacht’s retrieval, it is expected to be transported to the nearby port of Termini Imerese on Monday, where authorities will take over for further investigation into the tragic incident.

The sinking claimed the lives of Lynch’s daughter Hannah, lawyer Chris Morvillo, his wife Neda, banker Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy, and chef Recaldo Thomas. While nine crew members and six guests were successfully rescued from the ordeal.

(Reporting by Wladimir Pantaleone, writing by Keith Weir and Gianluca Semeraro, editing by Giulia Segreti and Andrew Heavens)

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