The luxury yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily on Monday was once a vessel that won numerous awards for its sophisticated interior design.
In the early hours of Monday morning (August 19th), a sailing ship known as the Baiesian capsized and sank in a storm that hit the coast of Sicily.
There were 12 passengers and 10 crew on board at the time.
This morning, five of the six missing bodies have been confirmed as having been recovered, including that of 69-year-old British billionaire Mike Lynch.
Chef Recardo Thomas was also confirmed dead. Of the 22 people on board, only 15 made it onto lifeboats, but were later found by a fellow vessel.
The 184-foot (56-metre) superyacht was sold to Dutch property developer John Groenewoud for nearly $40 million (£30.4 million) and was then bought by Mr Lynch’s wife, Angela Bescares, who survives him on Monday, for about £27 million in 2014.
Formerly known as the Salute, the British-flagged vessel boasted a 72-metre aluminium mast, the tallest in the world when it was built in 2008, and won “Best Exterior Design” at the 2009 World Superyacht Awards, according to The Telegraph.
The stunning interior featured an array of sophisticated and luxurious furnishings, created by yacht design expert Rémi Tessier.
The ship has also won numerous awards, with praise being given to its cleverly designed master bedroom, three double bedrooms and two twin bedrooms, which can accommodate 12 guests.
The 56-metre yacht was the epitome of luxury on the water. (TMX)
The superyacht was outfitted with dark wood furnishings, paired with beige sofas, and had a large canvas deck to keep guests cool during the summer at sea.
The interior of the ship is further enhanced by elaborate décor, with slender brown pillars and intricate terracotta carvings lending a Japanese touch to the ship’s style.
Baysian won Best Interior at the 2008 International Superyacht Association Awards and was also named one of the Best Large Sailing Yachts at the 2009 World Superyacht Awards.
The yacht is currently owned by Rebtom, a company that lists Bacalez as its legal owner and whose name comes from a statistical model called “Bayesian” that helps financial investors calculate risk.
This was the subject of Lynch’s doctoral thesis and would help him build his future multi-billion pound empire.
The superyacht, operated by Camper & Nicholsons, is powered by two 965 horsepower engines and has a range of 3,600 nautical miles at a speed of around 14-17 mph.
The yacht capsized on Monday (TMX)
Following the tragic accident involving members of the crew of the Baysian on Monday, many people connected to the missing have offered words of hope and support in the search for bodies.
“Everyone is hoping for a miracle,” Ms Lynch’s friend Brent Hoberman told Sky News.
“We knew the chances were slim, but we remain hopeful,” he said. “It’s incredibly tragic for him that he wasn’t able to live a full, honourable life these last 12 years, and it’s obviously very sad that we now have confirmation of his death.”
