The massive superyacht Bayesian that sank off the coast of Italy on Monday won numerous awards for its sleek interior design — and was sold to its original owner for nearly $40 million.
The luxury sailing ship was carrying 22 people when it capsized and sank during a fierce storm early Monday morning.
The bodies of five of six missing passengers, including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, 69, his daughter, Hannah, 18, have been recovered.
The ship’s chef, Recaldo Thomas, has also been confirmed dead.
Divers continued searching the wreckage of the 184-ft British-flagged vessel, previously called Salute, on Wednesday after discovering four of the bodies.
When it was built in 2008, the Bayesian had the tallest aluminum mast in the world, standing at 237 ft, earning it the award of best exterior styling at the World Superyacht Awards in 2009, The Telegraph reported.
The sprawling superyacht’s interior, decorated with sleek, minimalist furnishings created by Remi Tessier, has also won numerous awards.
The ship, which accommodated 12 guests, had a master bedroom and three double and two twin bedrooms.
It also featured beige sofas, dark wood furnishings, and a teak deck equipped with a large canvas awning to keep guests cool, according to the outlet.
Some of the ship’s styling, including thin brown pillars and miniature terracotta sculptures, was inspired by Japanese culture.
What to know after a tornado sank the yacht Bayesian off the coast of Sicily, leaving five dead and two missing:
- A superyacht capsized off the coast of Sicily after a tornado hit the area early Monday, killing three passengers and leaving three others missing.
- The first two bodies found inside the wreckage of the Bayesian superyacht were identified as British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his teenage daughter Hannah, according to a report.
- Two more bodies have been recovered but have yet to be identified.
- Lynch — known as “Britain’s Bill Gates” had invited guests from Clifford Chance, a legal firm that represented him, and Invoke Capital, his own company, on the voyage, according to the Telegraph.
- Security camera footage shot from 650 feet from where the Bayesian sank Monday shows it slowly disappearing.
- Italian authorities have said the chances of the remaining passengers surviving the disaster were very small, but “never say never.”
- A rare and unexpected “black swan” weather event may have led to the Bayesian superyacht’s speedy demise, maritime experts say.
The extravagant ship won best interior at the International Superyacht Society Awards in 2008 and was also voted one of the best large sailing yachts at the 2009 World Superyacht Awards, according to the outlet.
The yacht’s original owner, John Groenewoud, a Dutch real estate developer, reportedly bought the ship for £30 million ($39 million) when it was built. In 2014 he sold the ship with an asking price of £27 million or ($35 million).
The Bayesian is currently owned by Revtom, a company that listed Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, as its legal owner.
It was named after the Bayesian statistical model that helps financial investors calculate risk — the subject of Lynch’s Ph.D. that later helped him build his empire.
The vessel, operated by yachting company Camper & Nicholsons, had twin 965hp MTU engines, which gave it a range of 3,600 nautical miles at 13-15 knots (14-17 mph).
RSB Rigging carried out rig service works on the ship with Astilleros de Mallorca, a shipyard facility in Palma, in November 2016.
The Bayesian returned in September 2020 for scheduled service works, including having its mast removed and reinstalled.
Steve Branagh, the managing director of RSB Rigging, told The Telegraph: “At this time, our deepest sympathies go out to the friends and families of all those affected by this dreadful tragedy.”
