Sicily Yacht Sinking: Reason Why Boat Sank

During the incident, many of the crew helped lift passengers out of the capsized boat before they eventually entered the water as the vessel continued sinking. Once in the water, a member of the crew “instructed the guests and crew present there to swim clear of [the yacht].”

As survivors collectively gathered in the water, the boat’s chief officer swam over and released a life raft from the sinking ship. Around 4:24 a.m., the group inflated the life raft and boarded it. 

About 20 minutes later, a crew member fired a flare into the air and the 15 survivors were rescued by a nearby ship called Sir Robert Baden Powell.

As a result of the tragedy, seven of the boat’s passengers—billionaire tech mogul Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah, Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, passenger Christopher Morvillo, his wife Neda Morvillo and the yacht’s chef Recaldo Thomas—sadly died.

As the MAIB continue their investigation, the organization stated in their interim report, “There is the possibility that new evidence may become available that might alter the circumstances as depicted in this report.”