Explorers have delved into the submerged luxury yacht as they persist in their quest to locate the bodies of the six individuals who are currently missing. However, they are encountering “significant obstacles” throughout the rescue operation.
The British magnate Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, are among the six individuals still unaccounted for after a high-end yacht sank during a tumultuous tornado off the Italian coast. One individual has already been pronounced deceased.
The opulent superyacht Bayesian, flying under the British flag, remains relatively intact on the ocean floor at a depth of 50 meters, making it challenging to access. The time constraints faced by the divers conducting the search are exceedingly narrow, as emphasized by one of the leaders spearheading the mission.
The team of divers includes two experienced cave divers who excel in maneuvering through confined spaces.
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“They can remain submerged for a maximum of 12 minutes, two of which are necessary for descending and ascending,” stated emergency responder Luca Cari to the Italian publication Giornale Di Sicilia.
“Hence, the actual duration available for conducting the search is 10 minutes per dive.”
The divers have made their way into the lounge through a ladder and are currently strategizing on the optimal entry point to access the remainder of the yacht.
Mr. Cari detailed how the divers had pinpointed a glass window on the Bayesian through which they could enter; however, the window’s thickness of 3cm poses a challenge for its extraction to gain entry. The inability to peer inside the yacht from the exterior is further complicating the search efforts.
The search team has already combed through the command bridge, which “is replete with electrical wiring,” yet did not locate anyone in that section.
“The compartments within the sailing vessel are exceptionally cramped, and negotiating obstacles presents a formidable challenge for forward movement, just as identifying alternative routes poses a considerable difficulty,” he elaborated.
For more information:
Complete details on the luxury vessel sunk by a tornado
Lynch’s co-defendant’s demise pre-yacht sinking
Mr. Lynch, also known as the “British Bill Gates,” has been under the media spotlight in recent months due to a high-profile fraud case.
In June, he was acquitted of all charges by a US jury concerning the sale of his software firm Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard in 2011.
His wife, Angela Bacares, was among the 15 individuals already rescued.
Reportedly missing are attorney Christopher Morvillo, a partner at Clifford Chance, and Mr. Lynch’s co-counsel during his US trial, Mr. Morvillo’s spouse, Jonathan Bloomer, Chairman of Morgan Stanley International and Hiscox UK, along with his wife, Judy.