The head of The Italian Sea Group has addressed the tragic sinking of a superyacht with 22 people aboard, which occurred off the coast of Italy.
The Italian Sea Group owns Perini Navi, the company that constructed the Bayesian – the 543-ton yacht that sank recently – back in 2008.
The 56-meter long yacht, known for having the world’s tallest aluminum mast, underwent refurbishment in 2020.
On Monday, August 19, the Bayesian encountered a sudden and intense storm while at sea in Sicily, leading to its capsizing.
According to BBC News, the storm was so fierce that it generated waterspouts, which are rotating columns of air and mist, over the sea.
Emergency services managed to rescue 15 passengers, but unfortunately, six people have been confirmed dead, and one person is still missing.
Among the identified victims is Mike Lynch, often referred to as the ‘British Bill Gates’.
It was confirmed on August 22 that the body of the tech magnate had been found, but his 18-year-old daughter Hannah remains unaccounted for.
As the search for the remaining missing individuals continues, Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, has spoken out, describing the superyacht as ‘unsinkable’.
“Being the manufacturer of Perini [boats], I know very well how the boats have always been designed and built,” he told Sky News.
“And as Perini is a sailing ship… sailing ships are renowned to be the safest ever.”
Costantino emphasized that their design and keel make them ‘unsinkable bodies’.
Reflecting on the incident, he remarked, “This incident sounds like an unbelievable story, both technically and as a fact.”
He added that the sinking left him feeling ‘a state of sadness on one side and of disbelief on the other’.
CCTV footage capturing the moment the storm struck the yacht has been released, showing the vessel sinking beneath the waves in mere seconds.
The video confirmed that ‘nothing could be done’ for the yacht and its passengers as it ‘disappeared in a very short time’.
The ship’s captain, who survived the ordeal, has admitted that he did not foresee the storm before it hit the yacht.
It remains unclear whether any actions could have been taken if he had been aware of the approaching storm.
At the time of the storm, around 5am local time, the yacht was moored about half a mile offshore near Porticello, close to Palermo.
For those affected by bereavement and seeking confidential support, contact The Compassionate Friends at (877) 969-0010.