Complexities delay salvage of yacht that sank in fatal accident off Sicily

Italian authorities have ordered the temporary postponement of the salvage effort on the sunken luxury yacht Bayesian in the waters off Sicily due to bad weather and the unavailability of a final salvage plan.

Local prosecutors have also stipulated that the necessary effort be exerted to recover and preserve the vessel's hull, as it is considered a key piece of evidence in the criminal investigation into the tragedy that occurred five months prior.

The prosecutors have been looking into the possibility that crew error had caused the yacht to sink in a storm with 22 people still on board while it was off the western coast of Sicily on August 19, 2024. Seven of the vessel's occupants perished in the incident.

New Zealand national James Cutfield, the captain of Bayesian, has been charged with manslaughter and negligence in connection with the mishap. During subsequent legal proceedings, Mr Cutfield pleaded no contest and has refused to answer questions from prosecutors.

The allegations of human error had also been made by Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, which owns the company that built Bayesian.

Mr Costantino said in an interview following the incident that the crew of the ill-fated yacht committed a series of "indescribable, unreasonable errors" that led to its loss.

He added that the tragedy could have been avoided had the crew studied the latest weather charts and implemented the necessary safety procedures, such as closing all openings and making sure no one was on the outer deck when the storm hit.