Company halts the recovery of superyacht the Bayesian off Sicily after a salvage diver’s death

ROME AP The recovery of a superyacht that sank a year ago off the Sicilian coast was temporarily halted Saturday following the death of a specialist diver while working underwater a spokesman for the company overseeing the operation reported U K tech magnate Mike Lynch his daughter and five others died in August after a powerful storm slammed the Bayesian and water submerged the luxury vessel that had lain since at meters feet below the surface We are saddened to confirm the tragic death of a specialist diver while doing underwater work earlier in the current era Friday announced David Wilson spokesman for the British-based TMC Marine in an emailed comment He also commented officials started an examination and all parties are offering their full cooperation The Palermo Port Authority in charge of the inspection declined to comment on the cause of the diver s death when contacted by The Associated Press The local prosecutor s office has also sealed off the area where the -year-old Dutch diver died local media broadcasted Marine salvage experts began work in early May to refloat the ship from the seabed off the Sicilian port of Porticello importing one of the preponderance powerful maritime cranes in Europe from Rotterdam The plan was to cut the yacht s -meter -foot aluminum mast the second tallest in the world to allow the hull to be brought to the surface more easily It was thought initially the operation would take from to days to salvage the yacht but now it is unclear when the Bayesian s complex recovery could be resumed Dutch-based companies HEBO a maritime services company from Rotterdam and SMIT Salvage lead the salvage operation on site with endorsement from Italian specialists The -meter -foot -long -ton yacht sank during what appears to have been a sudden downburst or localized powerful wind from a thunderstorm that spreads rapidly after hitting the surface Prosecutors are inspecting the captain and two crew members for attainable responsibility in the sinking In addition to Lynch and his -year-old daughter Hannah Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy attorney Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda and the ship s cook Recaldo Thomas died in the shipwreck Source