Enormous costs

Salvage of the Bayesian to begin in mid-January

(Bild: picturedesk.com/Perini Navi Press Office Handout / Zuma)

The "Bayesian" has been lying off the coast of Palermo at a depth of 50 meters for over three months. The luxury yacht, which capsized in a storm, is now to be salvaged from the seabed. According to Italian media reports, the port authority in Palermo will decide in mid-December which plan will be used to raise the ship.

The operation is due to begin around mid-January 2025. The ship is to be lifted from the seabed to the surface and secured on land within five weeks. The operation is very complex, as not only the 56-metre-long yacht but also the 72-metre-long mast must be salvaged intact. Consideration is being given to how the hull can be turned and brought into a horizontal position so that it can then be lifted with a crane. Balloons could be used to facilitate the ascent.

Emergency services used the ship's plans to organize the recovery of the bodies - this operation also proved to be very time-consuming.

(Bild: AFP)

Salvage will be expensive in any case
When choosing the salvage plan, the costs are of course also taken into account, which are likely to run into millions. According to expert Nick Sloane, the recovery could cost around 15 million euros. The South African organized the salvage of the Costa Concordia cruise ship that was wrecked off the Tuscan island of Giglio in 2012. The operation was considered unprecedented worldwide and took two years at the time. The 290-metre-long ship was towed to the port of Genoa for dismantling.

Investigations into the cause of the accident continue
The Bayesian sank in a sudden, severe storm off the port of Porticello near Palermo, the capital of Sicily. The ship was owned by the Isle of Man-based company Revtom Limited, which in turn is owned by Angela Bacares, the widow of British billionaire Mike Lynch. He and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah died in the shipwreck along with five other people. The investigation into the accident is still ongoing and three people have been charged so far, including the New Zealand captain.