Captain of yacht blames ‘extreme mast’ for Mike Lynch’s vessel sinking

An eyewitness has attributed the sinking of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch’s yacht on Monday to its exceptionally tall mast, which increased the vessel’s vulnerability during a severe storm that struck the area.

Dutch ship captain Karsten Börner, whose own boat was anchored near Lynch’s Bayesian, spoke to the Financial Times and noted that the superyacht seemed to have stability issues. He explained, “The center of gravity is too high with this extreme mast,” refuting the Italian coast guard’s initial assessment that the Bayesian was merely in the wrong place at an unfortunate time.

Börner added, “I was on the same spot. I have two masts, and they are 28 and 29 meters above deck; her mast stands at 73 meters (239.5 feet) above deck.” As authorities investigate why Lynch’s yacht sank so suddenly while nearby vessels weathered the storm, questions remain unanswered.

The 56-meter-long superyacht was carrying 22 passengers and crew when it went down. Börner, who managed to rescue 15 individuals, reported that they conveyed the yacht had sunk in under two minutes.

Describing the storm, he termed the wind “violent, very violent,” estimating wind speeds likely reached hurricane strength as “tons of water” fell from the sky. “I never saw that before; there was a water tornado,” he recounted.

The CEO of the Italian Sea Group, which constructed the Bayesian, previously suggested to the Financial Times that the yacht was designed for stability despite its tall mast and implied that the crew may not have implemented proper safety protocols. However, Börner noted that the crew told him they had “closed the ship.” The Italian Sea Group did not immediately respond to requests for comments regarding Börner’s statements.

In the wake of the incident, Italian prosecutors have initiated an investigation into the shipwreck, which includes multiple counts of culpable homicide akin to manslaughter charges. The Italian coast guard confirmed the recovery of Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, along with other victims that included Morgan Stanley International chair Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy; Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife, American jewelry designer Neda Morvillo; and chef Recaldo Thomas.

On Saturday, Italian prosecutors disclosed that the emergency transpired at 4:38 a.m. local time when a red flare was fired and observed by the coast guard. They added that the passengers were probably asleep at that time.

Deputy prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano indicated to reporters that a crew member was on duty, as stipulated, when the “truly sudden” storm struck. Chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio stated that ship-tracking data indicated the yacht began to drift from its anchor shortly before 4 a.m. and covered approximately 360 meters over five minutes before sinking around 15 minutes later.

The tragedy of the Bayesian raises critical questions regarding the safety measures employed on board and the engineering decisions surrounding its tall mast. As further investigations unfold, the families of the victims and witnesses alike are left grappling with the loss and the circumstances that led to such a devastating event.