"The sea was raging' Disaster unfolded just 300 metres from coast

The 12 holidaying passengers had come from the UK, the US, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland, occupying six luxurious suites of Bayesian, a 56-metre-long superyacht that boastedone of the tallest aluminium masts in the world. Among the 10 crew members were people who came from Sri Lanka.

- Angela Giuffrida

The award-winning, British flagged vessel, managed by Camper & Nicholsons, left the calm blue waters of the Sicilian port of Milazzo on 14 August, sailing for a few days around the Aeolian islands and off the historic coastal village of Cefalù.

But as storms and heavy rainfall swept across Italy, breaking a long-drawn-out heatwave, the dream holiday turned into a nightmare when the boat sank as the passengers were sleeping off Porticello, a fishing village close to Palermo, after the area was struck by a violent tornado. The boat's anchor was down and strong winds caused it to lose balance, which is believed to have caused it to sink.

As of yesterday afternoon, one man, reported by the Italian media to be a chef from Canada, was confirmed to have died and six were missing, including the British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter. His wife, Angela Bacares, was among the 15 passengers rescued, as was a oneyear-old child, Sophie, who was taken to hospital in Palermo.