Wreck of Bayesian Superyacht Raised to the Surface

The British superyacht that sank off Sicily last August, killing seven people, resurfaced for the first time Friday as salvage recovery crews readied it to be hauled ashore for further investigation. The white top and blue hull of the 184-foot Bayesian emerged from the depths of the sea in a holding area of a yellow floating crane barge. The coast guard said the actual recovery was scheduled to begin Saturday morning, the AP reports.

• A spokesman for TMC Maritime, which is conducting the recovery operation, said the vessel has been slowly raised from the seabed,165 feet down, over the past three days to allow the steel lifting straps, slings, and harnesses to be secured under the keel.

• What became visible for the first time Friday on the surface of the water was the top of the area of the Bayesian where passengers would sit, known as the accommodation area, said a spokesman for TMC Maritime. The Telegraph reports that the battered hull is covered in algae, with metal railings broken.
• The British-flagged luxury superyacht sank Aug. 19 off Porticello, near Palermo, during a violent storm, killing UK tech magnate Mike Lynch, his daughter, and five others. Fifteen people survived, including the captain and all crew members except the chef.
• When it resurfaced, the Bayesian was missing its 236-foot mast, which was cut down and left on the seabed for future removal. Before the operation began last month, insiders said a remotely operated robot would cut the mast.
• British investigators said in an interim report issued last month that the yacht was knocked over by "extreme wind" and couldn't recover.
• Last month, the operation claimed the life of a 39-year-old Dutch diver, the BBC reports.

(More Bayesian sinking stories.)