Operation to recuperate Mike Lynch’s superyacht suspended after diver dies

Recovery operations to carry the overdue tech multi-millionaire Mike Lynch’s superyacht Bayesian from the seabed off Sicily were suspended after a diver died all the way through underwater paintings.

Rob Cornelis Maria Huijben, a 39-year-old Dutch diver, died on Friday whilst doing preparation paintings to chop the send’s mainmast. He was once hired through the maritime corporate Hebo, whose barge arrived closing week in Porticello, a fishing port close to Palermo. The luxurious vessel was once anchored simply off Porticello when it was once struck in a while earlier than first light through a violent typhoon on 19 August 2024. It sank inside seconds, killing seven other folks, together with Lynch and his daughter Hannah.

Police mentioned the reason for the diver’s loss of life was once unknown and an investigation was once introduced.

“This pause in activity is necessary for the investigations to be completed and to allow all salvage and associated teams to mourn the tragic loss of a highly respected salvage diver during yesterday’s underwater work,” learn a commentary from the British-based consultancy TMC Marine, which can oversee a consortium of salvage experts endeavor the venture.

A initial exam of the diver’s frame published no visual accidents or burns. Investigators imagine he can have suffered a clinical drawback whilst submerged.

An selection line of inquiry is that when divers used a blowtorch to chop the vessel’s increase, Huijben was once struck through dislodged particles – in all probability a work of steel. Footage captured through underwater cameras bring to an end in a while earlier than the incident.

Marcus Cave, head of naval structure and a director of TMC Marine, mentioned Friday’s tragedy “has been felt by all involved in this project, and the priority right now is the family of this expert, specialist diver, who was well liked and indeed loved by all involved in the project. This pause in operations will enable thorough investigations to be completed into this tragic accident. It will also help us to mourn and regroup.

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected. Salvage operations at sea always carry an element of risk,” he added. “The salvage team is providing full cooperation to the authorities in their investigations.”

An additional venture replace will probably be issued after the weekend.

Investigators hope the yacht will yield necessary clues: whether or not a sequence of human mistakes resulted in the sinking, as first of all suspected, or if different elements have been at play. Once it’s ashore, an exam will resolve if some of the hatches remained open and whether or not the keel was once improperly raised.

Lynch, who in June closing 12 months was once cleared of fraud fees in america on the subject of the sale of his corporate, Autonomy, to Hewlett-Packard in 2011, was once taking part in a lavish voyage round Sicily to have a good time his acquittal along 18-year-old Hannah and his spouse, Angela Bacares, whose corporate owned the Bayesian.

Among the ones on board have been Lynch’s lawyer from Clifford Chance, Chris Morvillo, his spouse, the jewelry dressmaker Neda Morvillo, Morgan Stanley International’s chair, Jonathan Bloomer, and his spouse, Judy Bloomer, a former psychotherapist. All 4 died within the incident. The yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas, was once the 7th one who died.

Fifteen other folks survived, together with Bacares.

The ruin sits at a intensity of 50 metres within the bay of Porticello, which is beneath surveillance through Italian government.

Insurers estimate the salvage will value about $30m (£23m), a invoice the Bayesian’s underwriters will select up.