A survivor of a luxury yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily, Italy, on August 19 said the crew “rescued everyone they could” when the boat sank in a disaster that killed seven people. There were 22 people on board: Seven died and 15 were rescued on the day of the disaster.
The fatal victims were millionaire Mike Lynch and his daughter. Hannah LynchJonathan Bloomer, international director of Morgan Stanley, his wife Judy, lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife, jewelry designer Neda Morvillo, and Recaldo Tomas, the yacht’s chef.
Matthew Griffiths was one of 22 people on board the Bayesian when it was destroyed by a waterspout just a few hundred metres from the port of Porticello. A 22-year-old man who was on duty the night of the tragedy told investigators that the crew did everything possible to save those on board the yacht, according to comments from Italian news agency Ansa, quoted by the Daily Mail.
Griffiths, the boat’s captain James Cutfield and the ship’s engineer Tim Parker Eaton have been placed under investigation by Italian authorities on suspicion of multiple counts of manslaughter.
“I woke the captain when the wind was 20 knots (23 mph). He ordered everyone else to be woken up,” he said.
“The ship heeled over and we were thrown into the water. We managed to get up and try to save those we could,” he added, describing the events of the fateful night when the Bayesian was anchored in a Sicilian port.
“We were walking along the walls (of the boat). We were saving everyone we could, and Cutfield also saved the girl and her mother,” referring to passenger Charlotte Golunski and her 1-year-old daughter.
Cutfield exercised his right to remain silent when questioned by prosecutors at Termini Imerese. The same lawyers They explained that they were “exhausted” and that they needed more time to build up their defenses.
Prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano said last week that the ship was likely hit by a “downburst,” a very strong downdraft. But the sinking has puzzled naval experts, who said a ship like the Bayesian, built by Italian luxury yacht maker Perini, should have weathered the storm and should not have sunk so quickly anyway.
Among the theories being investigated is whether the ship had adequate procedures in place to protect the yacht ahead of a predicted storm that prevented fishing boats from sailing.
Giovanni Costantino of Italy’s Sea Group, owner of Perini Navi, which built Bayesian, previously said the yacht was “unsinkable” and that human error led to the sinking, possibly with hatches and portholes left open.
Author: Morning mail
Source: CM Jornal
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