Strong gusts of wind, presumably similar to a tornado, would be the explanation for the tragic sinking of a luxurious yacht in the port of Porticello, very close to Palermo, on the coast of Sicily. The shipwreck resulted in at least one person dead, while six others remain missing.
According to the authorities of the Italian Coast Guard, 15 people were rescued and taken to assistance centers.
According to the Telegraph from London, one of the missing persons is British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, while his wife, Angela Bacares, is one of the people who was rescued.
How did the yacht sinking happen?
Local media reported that a sudden and strong storm, including downpours, had hit the area overnight.
The boat allegedly capsized around 5 in the morning with 22 people on board, including 10 crew members and 12 passengers of American, British, and Canadian nationalities.
The ship was named Bayesian, flying a British flag, measuring 56 meters (184 feet) long, and was characterized by its 75-meter (246-foot) mast, one of the largest in the world made of aluminum. Its website offered it for rent for up to 195,000 euros (about 215,000 dollars) per week.
A ship captain who was very close to the Bayesian told the Telegraph that after the storm, "the yacht was no longer there." He also reported seeing a red flare and then a lifeboat with a woman and a minor.
The rescue teams located parts of the ship at a depth of 50 meters (163 feet).
The individuals who had not been rescued were a crew member and six passengers, according to the Coast Guard. Among them, there would be a minor, according to British media.
What were the characteristics of the yacht?
The yacht, built in 2008 by the Italian firm Perini Navi, could accommodate 12 passengers in four double cabins, one triple cabin, and a suite, in addition to the crew accommodations, according to Charter World and Yacht Charters.
The ship left the Sicilian port of Milazzo on August 14th and was last tracked east of Palermo on Sunday afternoon, with a navigation status of "anchored," according to the tracking application Vesselfinder.