The search for the six missing in the shipwreck that occurred in the early hours of yesterday morning off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo, continues unabated. The luxury sailing vessel Bayesian56 meters long and 11 meters wide, could not withstand the sudden tornado that hit the stretch of sea. The turbulence broke the mainmast and caused the vessel to sink in a few moments.
Rescue operations began promptly. Coast Guard patrol boats and fire brigade teams intervened promptly, managing to save 15 people. Among the survivors was also a little girl under one year old. Recovered by the Fire Department and transported to the Children’s Hospital in Palermo together with her mother who managed to protect her. Both are in good health.
Just moments ago the news of the recovery of the lifeless body of one of the crew members, the cooka Canadian citizen of Antiguan origin. Expert divers are working around the wreck, lying at 49 meters deep and about half a mile from the coast, trying to locate the missing.
#Palermoshipwreck of a vessel in Porticello: recovered by #divers of the #firefighters the lifeless body of a man, outside the wreck. The search operations continue with the coordination at sea of the @coastguard [#19agosto 11:30] pic.twitter.com/Y2m9o5ohCe
— Firefighters (@vigilidelfuoco) August 19, 2024
The local fisherman Fabio Cefalu was one of the first witnesses of the shipwreck. He said he observed the sinking of the Bayesian after closing the windows of his house to protect himself from the fury of the tornado:
“I was at home, I closed the windows and I saw the boat. It had only one mast and was very large. Shortly afterward I saw a flare go off and, as soon as the bad weather was over, I went out in the boat. There were cushions and some boards still floating, but no one in the water.”
Cefalù and another fisherman, Peter Drythey attempted to provide assistance but when they arrived on site, they found only the floating remains of the sailing vessel.
“I think the tornado came from Porticello, shortly after I went down to the Bay of Santa Nicolicchia to see better what was happening. The boat was still floating, then it suddenly disappeared. I saw it sink with my own eyes”.
The Dutch sailing vessel Sir Robert BP, fortunately nearby, was the first to arrive to provide assistance, recovering the surviving passengers. Six are still missing and unnamed.
According to initial information, there was a person on board the sailing vessel partywhich ended shortly before the tornado hit the vessel at around 3.55am. The Bayesianbuilt in 2008 by the Perini Navi shipyards of Viareggio for luxury tourism and refurbished in 2020, was one of the boats most prestigious in circulation, with the second tallest mast in the world, a 75-metre aluminium colossus.
Read also: Bad Weather Drama: Sailing Boat Sinks in Palermo, 22 People on Board: The Toll is Already Dramatic
The article “I saw it sink with my own eyes” Boat sunk in Palermo, a witness’s account of the tragedy emerged: his chilling words comes from Bigodino.
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