Diver’s Tragic Death Halts Recovery Efforts for Sunken Superyacht

The ongoing recovery operation of the superyacht Bayesian, which sank last August, faces delays following the death of a diver involved in the salvage efforts.

A diver has tragically died during operations aimed at recovering the sunken superyacht of British tech billionaire Mike Lynch, according to local police reports. The incident occurred in Porticello, Sicily, on Friday, with officials noting that the cause of death remains unspecified.

The victim was identified as a 39-year-old Dutch national employed by a salvage specialist company. The recovery efforts come months after the Bayesian sank during severe weather conditions last August, resulting in the tragic losses of seven individuals, including Lynch, aged 59, and his daughter Hannah, aged 18. Other victims included Jonathan and Judy Bloomer, Chris and Neda Morvillo, and the yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas.

Despite the accident, salvage operations led by British firm TMC Marine, alongside Dutch companies Hebo and SMIT Salvage and supported by local Italian experts, are continuing as planned. Approximately 70 personnel from across Europe have been deployed to assist in the recovery.

Preparatory work had reportedly made "significant progress" prior to the diver's death. Investigators are focusing on the conditions of the yacht and seabed, with the next steps involving raising the vessel, pending suitable weather conditions. Before this can happen, the yacht will be stabilized with steel slings as salvage teams detach its rigging and mast for secure recovery.

Environmental concerns appear to have been adequately managed, with no reported pollution and ongoing monitoring of the site. Authorities in the UK are also conducting inquest proceedings into the deaths of the British nationals involved in the incident.

Lynch, a notable figure in the tech world for founding Autonomy, was celebrating his acquittal of fraud allegations during the yacht trip when the disaster occurred.