Salvage experts successfully lifted Mike Lynch’s sunken superyacht towards the surface on Friday, marking a major milestone in the recovery process. The tragic incident occurred 10 months ago off the coast of Sicily, claiming the lives of the British tech tycoon, his teenage daughter, and five others.
The final phase of the operation, which involves lifting the vessel out of the water, is scheduled to take place on Saturday, according to TMC Marine, the company leading the salvage efforts. The team has made significant progress in recent weeks, with all preparations nearing completion for the delicate lifting procedure.
The salvage operation faced a setback last month following the death of a diver involved in the recovery efforts. However, the team persevered and continued their work to bring the sunken yacht back to the surface.
The incident occurred in August last year when the 184-foot Bayesian yacht sank during a sudden storm while moored off the small port of Porticello near Palermo. An interim report from the UK indicated that the vessel was likely capsized by violent winds exceeding 73 miles per hour.
The recovery process was facilitated by detaching the yacht’s 236-foot mast using a remote-controlled cutting tool, which was then placed on the seabed earlier this week. The hull of the yacht is now being supported by a specially designed steel wire lifting arrangement connected to a floating lifting asset.
The vessel is currently positioned between two barges provided by Hebo Maritimeservice, a Dutch salvage company specializing in such operations. The salvage experts are reinforcing the cables in preparation for pulling the heavier yacht out of the water, as confirmed by a source at the Italian coast guard.
Once the yacht is successfully lifted out of the water, it will be transported to the nearby port of Termini Imerese on Monday and handed over to the authorities for further investigation into the tragedy.
The unfortunate incident claimed the lives of Lynch’s daughter Hannah, lawyer Chris Morvillo, his wife Neda, banker Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy, and chef Recaldo Thomas. Nine crew members and six guests were fortunate to be rescued from the sinking yacht.
The salvage operation serves as a testament to the perseverance and dedication of the recovery team in bringing closure to this tragic event.
