Bayesian superyacht was ‘virtually unsinkable’, says shipbuilder

The Bayesian superyacht was “virtually unsinkable”, the chief executive of the firm that built it has claimed.

Prosecutors in the town of Termini Imerese, close to Porticello, where the vessel went down in the early hours of Monday, have opened an investigation into the disaster.

They will seek to establish what caused the yacht to sink and whether any of the crew are criminally liable.

They are expected to investigate the keel on Mike Lynch’s superyacht after it was found “partially elevated”, and also examine whether the yacht’s crew had failed to close access hatches into the vessel before it was hit by a tornado.

Giovanni Costantino, the founder and chief executive of The Italian Sea Group, which owns the Perini Navi shipyard where the superyacht was built, has defended the boat’s construction and blamed human error for the sinking.

He claimed the Bayesian was “one of the safest boats in the world” and was virtually “unsinkable”, telling Corriere della Sera: “The passengers reported something absurd, that the storm came unexpectedly, suddenly. That is not true. Everything was predictable.

“Ask yourself – why were none of the Porticello fishermen out that night? A fisherman checks the conditions and a ship doesn’t? The disturbance was completely readable on all the weather maps. It was impossible not to know.

“A Perini vessel survived Hurricane Katrina. You don’t think it could survive a tornado like this?”

Mr Costantino said the strong winds had pushed the boat for four minutes, in what he called “drifting”. He claimed the boat then rotated and had begun taking on water before it sank.

When divers searched the Bayesian 165ft underwater, it was reported that they found the vessel’s retractable keel was partially raised, sparking questions about the boat’s stability at the time of the sinking.

The fin-like structure under the hull helped to stabilise the yacht – acting as a counterweight to the mast – and stretched to 9.83 metres when the vessel’s centreboard was fully extended, according to a brochure about its performance.

Experts have suggested the keel would normally be fully extended for extra stability during bad weather.

It has also been reported that the space housing the boat’s tender was not fully closed when it went down.

From photos and video images of the sinking that have been published, Mr Costantino said it was clear the boat had a blackout that had been caused by a surge of water inside it.

He said there was no doubt the aft hatch had been left open, adding: “It tilted 90 degrees for only one reason – because the water kept coming in. From the time it started coming in to the time it went down was six minutes. Those who say it disappeared in a few seconds are speaking rubbish.”

Mr Constantino said the crew should have closed all the doors and portholes and gathered all guests on deck in preparation for an emergency evacuation.

James Cutfield, the 51-year-old captain of the yacht was questioned by prosecutors from the Termini Imerese Public Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday after the vessel sank, Corriere della Sera reported.

Mr Cutfield, originally from North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand, was described as a “well-respected” lifelong seafarer by his brother Mark. He told The New Zealand Herald that his brother was recovering in hospital, but that his injuries were not “too dramatic”.

Four British inspectors from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch also arrived in Porticello to look at the site of the sinking.  It is understood they are looking into what happened because the yacht was flying the British flag, and are not involved in the search for the remaining missing passenger.