Luxury Superyacht Sailboat Sinks Off Sicily Amid Heavy Storm; 1 Dead, 6 Missing

This picture taken from video released by the Italian Firefighters on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, shows the stretch of Sea near Palermo, Sicily, in southern Italy, where the sail yacht Bayasian under UK flag sank early Monday. (Image: AP Photo)

The luxury superyacht sailboat "Bayesian" had a crew of 10 people and 12 passengers, most of whom were foreign tourists.

A luxury superyacht sailboat carrying foreign tourists capsized and sank off Sicily in bad weather early Monday. One body was found, six people were missing and 15 people were rescued, authorities said.

The British-flagged, 56-metre (184-foot) “Bayesian” had a crew of 10 people and 12 passengers, representing British, American and Canadian nationalities, the Italian coast guard said.

Fifteen people were rescued initially and taken to shore at Porticello, where eight were in the hospital. One body was found near the wreck, but six others were unaccounted for, said Luca Cari, a spokesperson for the Italian fire rescue service.

A helicopter and rescue boats from the coast guard, carabinieri, fire rescue and civil protection service were at the scene searching for the missing and had located the wreck at a depth of 50 meters (163 feet). The boat capsized around 5 a.m. off the port of Porticello.

Experienced deep-water divers were arriving at the scene to try to enter the hull, he said. Those who hadn’t been rescued included one member of the crew and six passengers, the coast guard said.

Local media said a fierce storm, including water spouts, had battered the area overnight but skies were clear and seas calm by Monday morning.

The ANSA news agency said the yacht, built in 2008 by the Italian firm Perini Navi, had been moored off the port at Porticello.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - Associated Press)