superyacht conference

Registration and Coffee

Conference Organizer's Opening Remarks

Conference Chairmans Introduction to the Conference

Panel: What`s shaping the market locally and internationally?
*Examining the impact of exiting Russian buyers and inflation, AI and
intellectual property, talent and the NextGen on client demand

Panel: South Coast powerhouse: local design, build and refit facilities
*Yacht & Superyacht Design and Production on the south coast
*Can the UK`s south coast lead the way in terms of yacht connectivity and communications services?
*Regional Investment in the south coast: with the Freeport being set up, what other local spots could be attractive for superyacht build and/or refit facilities?
*UK ECGD planned support for yacht builders/exporters via buyer credit guarantees: we look at who qualifies, the process of securing support for builders and buyers, plus the timing and costs involved

Refreshments

Panel: UK or the Med?
*How can we persuade UK owners to keep larger yachts in the UK?

Panel: Attracting and retaining local South Coast talent
*What are we doing to inspire young people to pursue a career in the yacht world?
*Attracting mid-career/mature talent into yachting.
*What retains staff in yachting?
*How is AI/Automation affecting hiring decisions in design, engineering, manufacturing and yacht management?

Lunch

Panel: The Future for Yacht Insurance

Panel: Net Zero capabilities
*Alternative fuels, the use of alternative materials in manufacturing, raising awareness among owners, crew, and other stakeholders

Chairman`s closing remarks followed by organiser`s reminder re: roundtable options

Refreshment Break

Roundtable discussions enable delegates to debate specialist topics of interest. Delegates choose which roundtable they join and each discussion is moderated by a speaker or industry leader.

1.Are UK marinas equipped for tomorrow`s challenges?

2.The future for shoreside jobs in yachting: which new roles will be created and which will disappear?

3. What govt support is available for the UK superyacht industry and is it enough?

4. What are the key challenges associated with electrification and net-zero strategies? This option includes a viewing of Optima`s electric boat in the marina!
17.20

Drinks Reception

Close of Conference

Yachts Commercial Director, IRI/Marshall Islands Registry

Quentin Bargate

Founder & CEO

Michelle Van der Merwe

Pantaenius Monaco

Danielle McLaren

Managing Director, Yotspot

Managing Director, Lateral Naval Architects

From a very young age James decided that drawing boats was what he wanted to do for a living, so when he came across a leaflet advertising Yacht Design at Southampton Institute the stage was set and in 1996 he graduated with first class honours.

James believes that clarity of thought and focus are key ingredients for success and thrives in small teams working on creative and innovative projects that challenge accepted practices.

When not leading the company’s yacht work, James will most likely be found either sailing around the waters of the Solent or soaring above the Hampshire countryside in a hang glider.

Kenny Jones MBE

Managing Director, IGY Marinas

Kenny Jones is currently contracted to oversee the IGY’s group day to day operations. Prior to this, he was the Operations Director for one of the largest Marina operators in Europe (19 Facilities). Kenny is responsible for the group’s entire portfolio (19 Facilities in 11 countries), upland, boat yards and marinas financial performance as well as advising on future business developments.

To date, Kenny has managed over 30 marina facilities in 18 different countries and cultures.  Kenny also served in the British Army as the Senior Marine Operations Officer and advisor on marine operations worldwide to a network of over 300 specialist servicemen. During his service in the British army, he was awarded the Member of the British Empire (MBE) and other decorations.

Lisandro Torres

Yacht Design Lab

Lisandro  is a versatile marine professional specialised in Yacht Design and New Builds Project Management. With over 20 years of work experience, and a robust background in managing multiple luxurious superyacht builds for prestigious shipyards including  Benetti Yachts ,  Wally , and  Sunseeker International .  Lisandro  has also successfully managed prominent luxury projects for renowned design studios such as  Studio Sculli  and  Luxury Projects  in Italy, along with  RWD  in the UK.

Jason Robertson

Mimo Connect

Jason ‘s voyage into the yachting realm commenced alongside his wife Nicci in 2008, following a distinguished seven-year tenure as an IT Consultant in London. It was during this time that  Jason ‘s expertise in AVIT garnered attention, leading him to consult within a prominent yachting management company, where he discovered his true passion for the industry. Transitioning to yachts,  Jason  assumed roles as an ETO/AVIT officer, fuelled by his unwavering zeal for technology and maritime endeavours. In 2017, fuelled by their shared vision,  Jason  and Nicci established  Robertson  ETOs, a specialised agency catering to ETO/AVIT needs. A mere year and a half later, their entrepreneurial spirit culminated in the inception of MIMO Connect, offering unparalleled connectivity and support to Captains, Engineers, and ETOs. For over the past five years at MIMO Connect,  Jason  has built an enviable reputation in marine connectivity and is considered a leading voice in technology circles.

Vicky Farrow

Business Development Manager, RAD Propulsion

Sales & Marketing Director, MDL Marinas

Director of Europe’s leading marina group operating 19 major marinas and boatyards and managing over 7,000 berths Tim has over 20 years’ sales and marketing experience.

Since joining MDL Tim has been busy transforming the customer journey process and sales transition from the offline to the online world. Part of this journey has included launching the UK’s first green gym chain MDL Fitness with equipment is capable of converting energy expended by the user into electricity to supplement the building’s power supply, Introducing Otium the marine Industries most  comprehensive loyalty scheme and founded the Green Technology Boat Show.  

Richard Selby

CEO, British Superyacht

Capt Brian Murphy

CEO, Poole Harbour Commissioners

Laura Harrison

Communications & Marketing Manager, Camper & Nicholsons Marinas

CEO, Superyacht Recruiter

Luke Dunton

Oyster Yachts

Just over 2 years now I have been heading up talent acquisition and project resource for multiple projects across 5 different sites nationally, for Oyster Yachts.

Overseeing the apprenticeship & graduate scheme, delivering brand awareness and promotional content supporting within the marine industry, I thrive on building talent into our organisation!

Giles Barkley

Senior Lecturer (Yacht Design) at Southampton Solent University

Giles Barkley is a senior lecturer and Course Leader for the internationally recognised B.Eng Yacht & Powercraft Design, B.Eng Yacht Design & Production and MSc Superyacht Design degrees since the early 1990’s. With this lecturing and course development experience, Giles is well placed to give an overview of attracting, educating and developing the next generation of Yacht, Commercial Craft and Superyacht designers and production managers.

Many graduates are now prominent names in the marine design industry, in the UK, Europe and as far as NZ and the USA. Giles calls upon these professionals to ensure that the revised editions of the degree courses are focussed on industry requirements, deliver an excellent learning experience and produce ‘work ready’ graduates for the marine industry. 

Giles is also involved in research and is currently developing alongside a commercial company a prototype for an electric hydro-foiling trimaran Ferry. 

Glen Campbell

Personnel Operations Management, TWW Yacht Management

Glen came shoreside after more than 7 years working on board yachts. He then spent time in project management and over 4 years in recruitment, working for an industry leading recruitment agency, in both onboard and shoreside recruitment.

Since joining TWW Yacht Management he has continued developing our team, our partnerships and our internal personnel operations, with his knowledge and expertise both onboard and ashore proving invaluable.

As we look to the future, Glen is focused on ensuring we are acquiring the best talent and skill sets. Utilising new technologies and innovative recruitment strategies, to ensure we have the team in place to continue delivery of our outstanding service and standards.

Elliot Bishop

Director, Bargate Murray

Described in Spears 500 as a “Distinguished Individual”, Elliot is a highly motivated individual, technically adept, with extensive commercial experience, who sees the “big picture” with ease. Analytical and pragmatic, he is known to facilitate innovative and efficient solutions to complex issues.

Elliot is well known in the marine sector and has acted in multi-jurisdictional litigation on behalf of major banks and insurers in respect of policy coverage issues and international enforcement of loan security against pleasure boats and superyachts. In addition, he has considerable experience of charter disputes and dealing with disputed commission payments arising out of the sale and purchase of vessels.

Notable cases include a safe port claim which resulted in a successful outcome for the client following a five day Admiralty Court trial, and a more recent win on behalf of a bank seeking to enforce a personal guarantee.

He has also acted for claimants and defendants in a broad range of marine related personal injury litigation from fast track through to catastrophic injury claims both in the UK and overseas including dealing with a claim by a minor rendered tetraplegic by an accident on board a private yacht in Portuguese territorial waters.

Elliot also has experience in dispute resolution in the art world, relating to defective title, provenance and attribution. He works closely with colleagues in advising artists on their moral rights and copyright of their work, protecting their brand and reputational issues.  He is also a Freeman of the City of London.

Mike Wimbridge

Global Superyacht Lead, Managing Director Pantaenius UK Ltd

Mike is Global Superyacht Lead for the Pantaenius group and also Managing Director for their UK offices.

His yacht insurance career spans over 35 years where he has been both an insurance broker and an underwriter.

Mike has worked for much of his career in Lloyd’s of London, including spells with Marsh, AIG, BRIT and Markel.

Jonathan Turner

Managing Director, Maritime Aviation

Sarah Allan

Partner and Head of Yachts Team, Penningtons Manches Cooper

Fiona Milsom ACII

Chartered Insurance Broker, Managing Director, Zis Bespoke Insurance

Nicola Kingman

Yacht Syndicate Manager, Shipowners’ P&I Club

Nicola is a Liability underwriter and manager of the yacht syndicate at the Shipowners’ P&I Club, where she has worked since 1999.  During her time at Shipowners’, Nicola has worked on a wide range of accounts in many different areas of the world, including, but not limited to, USA, Canada, Europe, India, Middle East and the Baltics. 

For a number of years Nicola was the underwriter for the East Coast Canadian business, handling a variety of commercial accounts in areas such as energy/offshore, passenger ferries, tourist excursion boats, tugs and barges and yachts.  In addition to the Canadian business, Nicola also handled a number of yacht accounts through various insurance brokers based throughout Europe.

In 2014, the Shipowners’ P&I Club created a dedicated yacht team with its own branding under the name Yachtowners.  Nicola heads up a team of 9, providing cover to nearly 4,000 yachts worldwide.  The creation of the Yachtowners’ team was born out of the significant growth of this area of the business and the clear need to provide a high level of service to the yacht industry.

Nicola has also been involved in creating a number of comprehensive liability-based products under the Yachtowners branding, including the Yacht Pre-Delivery Liability Policy, Yacht Legal Costs Cover Policy and Enhanced Crew Personal Accident Policy. 

During her time at Shipowners’, Nicola has obtained a Diploma in Superyacht Operations, reinforcing her excellent understanding of day-to-day yacht operations.

Simon Schofield,

CTO, Bar Technologies

David Kendall

CEO, Optima Projects Limited & Optima Yachts Ltd, UK

David commenced his career as an Aeronautical Engineer being responsible for the design of composite structures within civil and military aircraft. 

For the last 25 years David has owned and run several companies specialising in FRP Composites Engineering with a particular interest in the marine industry. 

For the last 4 years David has been developing a new range of ultra-efficient electric boats for leisure and commercial applications with plans to bring these to market in 2024.

CEO, RAD Propulsion

Dan   Hook  is a Chartered Naval Architect and has spent most of his career in the Maritime Robotics sector. After finishing University in Southampton he principally worked on high performance vessel design for rescue, defence and passenger applications. He was then a co-founder of ASV Ltd which went on to become one of the world leading developers of uncrewed boats. This company grew from 2 people in a garage to over 130 before selling to a multinational business – L3 Harris. Since then  Dan  has had roles as CTO of Ocean Infinity, a director and trustee of the National Oceanography Centre and founder of RAD. He now focusses on the development of tech to support boat builders and operators build smarter boats.

Maria Parry

Shoreside Consultant, Wilson Halligan

Maria is a dedicated talent consultant in Shoreside Maritime and Hospitality within the UHNW industry.

With a focus on assisting ex-yachties transition ashore, she excels in matching their passions with the perfect opportunities.

Maria is committed to finding the best talent and helping individuals achieve their career goals in the shore-based sector.

Chloe Kendall

Co-Founder, Optima Yachts

Ian McLaren MBE

International Trade Advisor, Dept for Business & Trade

Currently I am the Maritime Lead within the Southern Region of the Department of Business and Trade.  I migrated from the Department for International Trade when it moved into DBT doing a similar appointment.  I cover from Kings Lynn south to Dover and as far west as the Scilly Isles, embracing Cheltenham, Bristol, Exeter and the Solent in the round.  

My family were major shareholders in John Browns so joining the Royal Navy in 1975 seemed a natural move. At BRNC I was given a gorgeous Morgan Giles 41’ to race with success; slow into the wind but swift with the wind behind her. Unfortunately, I had to go to sea and spent much time in action in The Falklands Crisis, in the Middle East, the First Gulf War and the Balkans. I was awarded the MBE in Her Majesty’s Birthday Honours in 1996.

From the Royal Navy I helped set up and run BlueFinger producing the Fishing Vessel Plot for DEFRA and 37 countries globally. When BlueFinger was acquired, I moved to the Cabinet Office where I was the Counter Piracy Adviser during the Gulf of Aden challenge. As this abated in 2012, I joined Kongsberg as Head of Sales into the Middle East. I tried to retire from Kongsberg in 2019, but DIT convinced me to join them and to help out with Export Sales within UK’s Maritime Sector in 2020.

I speak Kalijee Arabic, and reside in Badminton, South Gloucestershire.

Southampton Harbour Hotel

5 Maritime Walk, Ocean Village, SO14 3QT

Sitting pretty in Ocean Village Marina, this ‘super-yacht’ of a building is the only luxury five-star hotel & Spa in Southampton and has been named as one of the UK's best hotels in the Conde Nast Traveller 2023 Readers' Choice Awards.

Located in the ever-so-sophisticated Ocean Village Marina, this iconic seven-floor super-yacht-inspired hotel feels right at home as it rises above the other luxury boats of Southampton with its tiered terrace style decks. Catch a glimpse of cruise ships and yachts setting sail from your balcony or deck and take in the grandest of views of the Solent.

ROOMING BLOCK - Hotel bedrooms are available at the hotel for the rate of £205/night including breakfast. Please call +44 (0) 2381 103 456 option 1 and quote the code QUAY140524 .

You can see full details on the hotel following this link here: https://www.harbourhotels.co.uk/southampton

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Taking place in Barcelona, The Superyacht Technology Conference is dedicated to superyacht tech, inspiring global speakers and technologically minded leaders.

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Testimonials.

"This conference has great B2B elements. It is a fantastic platform to demonstrate industry unity and to also raise awareness of important issues such as plastic pollution."

Peter Mahony, General Manager, Benetti Asia

“The 2018 Asia Pacific Superyacht Conference (APSC) was the best yet and it demonstrated the growing confidence of the industry across the Asia Pacific region. For the Marina Industries Association, participation in APSC is important to ensure we are in touch with the needs of our members and to ensure we are across current regional issues and opportunities.”

Colin Bransgrove, Executive Officer, Marina Industries Association

“There are not many conferences that play such a pivotal role as the Asia Pacific Yachting Conference and the Singapore Yacht Show, both gather input and thoughts from industry leaders throughout South East Asia (even up to the Pacific region).” Erwin Bamps, Board Advisor, Gulf Craft

Erwin Bamps, Board Advisor, Gulf Craft

The Monaco Yacht Show is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC

Ce site est exploité par une ou plusieurs entreprises appartenant à Informa PLC et tous les droits d'auteur leur appartiennent. Le siège social d'Informa PLC est situé au 5 Howick Place, Londres SW1P 1WG. Enregistré en Angleterre et au Pays de Galles. Numéro 8860726.

25 September 2024: MYS opening conference on sustainability.

Press release - September 6 2024

The Monaco Yacht Show announces the focus of its annual opening conference, centred on sustainability within the yachting industry.

Scheduled for September 25, 2024, at 10:30 AM, the conference will bring together journalists, industry professionals, and yacht clients for an in-depth discussion on sustainability in yachting. This session will spotlight current environmental challenges while showcasing practical and accessible solutions that demonstrate the industry's tangible efforts. Although these innovations are tailored specifically to yachting, they hold the potential to influence other sectors, contributing to a broader approach to sustainability. Gaëlle Tallarida, Managing Director of the Monaco Yacht Show, will inaugurate the conference with an overview of the operational measures the MYS has implemented to promote sustainability, both within the event and across the industry. This conference will serve as the starting point for a series of panel discussions on innovation and sustainability, co-hosted with the specialized media outlet Superyacht Times. Throughout the MYS, these sessions will delve into cutting-edge solutions and sustainable initiatives shaping the future of the yachting industry ( see the conference agenda ).

MYS 2024 Opening conference topics

The following topics will be explored under the moderation of Justin Ratcliffe, journalist and yachting expert:

1) How to reduce the carbon footprint of older generation yachts? Speaker :  Jean-Marc Bolinger, CEO of MB92 Group

Jean-Marc Bolinger will discuss the challenges of decarbonizing the existing superyacht fleet. His presentation will also cover practical sustainability measures and how these can contribute to reducing operational costs, increased comfort, and enhanced resale value.

2) Enhancing sustainability through eco-responsible onboard practices Speaker :  Robert van Tol, Executive Director of Water Revolution Foundation

Robert van Tol will introduce the 3-R model (Repair, Replace, Reduce) and highlight how more eco-responsible behaviour onboard can improve yachting's overall environmental performance and reduce operational costs. A movement among yacht crew to share current and future environmental solutions and best practices, which could provide the impetus to spread these practices to everyone on board.

3) How do superyacht developments and innovations make a difference to other markets? Speaker :  Giedo Loeff, Head of Research and Development, Feadship

Giedo Loeff will explore how technological innovations in the superyacht sector increase value and are driving advancements in other industries. He will illustrate the impact of these innovations on broader markets and future opportunities for technology transfer. This interactive and engaging conference will encourage active audience participation, allowing attendees to ask questions and discuss the topics presented. The Monaco Yacht Show organizers invite all interested parties to discover how the yachting industry is evolving and committing to a more sustainable future.

Practical Information: - Date : Wednesday, September 25, 2024 - Time : 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM - Location : Monaco Yacht Show, Conference Hall (Virage Louis Chiron) - Accès : Free entry with a valid MYS pass ( ticketing available )

Latest news

Posted 06/09/2024

25 September 2024: MYS opening conference on sustainability

Posted 04/09/2024

Exploring yacht projects driving environmental change and pioneering green technology

Immersive explorations and in-depth learning

Posted 29/08/2024

Sustainable solutions at the Monaco Yacht Show

Posted 28/08/2024

The Sustainability Hub: the figurehead of yachting for innovation and sustainability at the MYS.

Posted 13/08/2024

The Yacht Design & Innovation Hub is back. Steering yachting forward.

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Some of the Sicily Yacht Sinking Victims May Have Suffocated After Air Pocket Ran Out, More Testing Needed: Sources

Seven people were killed when the luxury vessel, carrying 12 passengers and 10 crew, sank amid severe weather off the coast of Sicily last month

More testing will be needed to determine how some victims died in the Sicily yacht sinking last month , a source tells PEOPLE.

Preliminary autopsy results on Chairman of Morgan Stanley International Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy Bloomer , “show they died from suffocation,” says the source, who is close to the investigation of the sinking.

However, tests on their tissues are now underway to definitively determine whether or not the couple died of suffocation because an air bubble in the yacht cabin they were in ran out of oxygen and filled with carbon dioxide, the source says, or if breathing in water was the cause.

Sources tell PEOPLE the tests could take as long as a few weeks to be carried out and for the results to be released.

The Bloomers were among seven people who died when the luxury yacht  Bayesian  sank off the coast of Porticello early on Aug. 19 amid severe weather, officials have said.

Twenty-two people were onboard — 12 passengers and 10 crew — and the seven victims included the Bloomers; New York City-based lawyer Christopher Morvillo and his wife , jewelry designer Neda Morvillo; British tech businessman Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah ; and the yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas .

Family Handout/PA Wire

Autopsies for the Lynches and Thomas will be conducted on Friday, the source close to the investigation confirms to PEOPLE.

On Monday, Sept. 2, the Associated Press and Italian news agency ANSA reported that the autopsies of Christopher and Neda Morvillo ruled their cause of death as drowning.

In the days since, however, some uncertainty has been raised about exactly how the six victims suffocated in their cabins. (The seventh victim, Thomas, the chef, was found outside the Bayesian .)

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

CNN  and the  La Repubblica  newspaper  reported that the initial autopsies done on the four victims so far indicated they were killed by “atypical drowning” and, according to  La Repubblica,  the Bloomers and the Morvillos “had no water in their lungs, trachea, or stomach.”

Reuters reported that the initial autopsies of the four victims so far "indicated they had died of suffocation as oxygen ran out on the stricken vessel" but "[m]ore forensic tests were ordered."

Sources caution to PEOPLE that this examination and testing will need to be done before it is confirmed how those victims suffocated.

Other causes of death have been ruled out.

Medical experts say that in some cases of drowning, water doesn't enter the lungs because of an involuntary reflex in the throat, leading to suffocation.

So-called "dry drowning" is not a medically preferred term as water is always a factor in these cases.

PERINI NAVI PRESS OFFICE/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Girolamo Bentivoglio Fiandra, head of the Palermo Fire Brigade, spoke at a news conference last month as the yacht victims were formally identified and shared details of their final moments and where they were recovered.

“It was quite clear that people [inside] were trying to hide in the cabins. In the left-hand side, we found the first five bodies in the left-hand side cabins, and the final body on the right-hand side. We found them on the highest part of the ship which was closer to the surface. The vessel had three cabins on each side,” Fiandra said then.

He also said that the five who "took refuge in the cabins on the left side of the sailboat" had been "searching for air pockets."

A broader investigation is ongoing into how, exactly, the  Bayesian  sank in August — in what some witnesses have said was a quickly unfolding tragedy that has puzzled observers, given the yacht’s size and apparent capability to withstand bad weather.

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Questions for Investigators Trying to Unravel Mystery of Luxury Yacht’s Sinking

The investigators searching for answers about the shipwreck, leaving seven dead, face questions about extreme weather and possible human error or problems with the yacht itself.

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By Alan Yuhas

More than 180 feet long, with a mast towering about 240 feet and a keel that could be lowered for greater stability, the Bayesian luxury yacht did not, in the eyes of its maker, have the vulnerabilities of a ship that would easily sink.

“It drives me insane,” Giovanni Costantino, the chief executive of the Italian Sea Group, which in 2022 bought the company that made the ship, said after its wreck last week. “Following all the proper procedures, that boat is unsinkable.”

But the $40 million sailing yacht sank within minutes and with fatal results: seven dead, including the British technology billionaire Michael Lynch, his teenage daughter, four of Mr. Lynch’s friends and a member of the crew. Fifteen people, including the captain, escaped on a lifeboat.

Mr. Lynch had invited family, friends and part of his legal team on a cruise in the Mediterranean to celebrate his acquittal in June of fraud charges tied to the sale of his company to the tech giant Hewlett-Packard.

The Italian authorities have opened a manslaughter investigation, searching for answers from the survivors, the manufacturer and the wreck itself. They face a range of questions and possible factors.

An ‘earthquake’ in the sky?

When the Bayesian sank around 4 a.m. on Aug. 19, the waters in its area, about half a mile off the Sicilian port of Porticello, were transformed by an extremely sudden and violent storm, according to fishermen, a captain in the area and meteorologists.

But what kind of storm is still a mystery, compounded by the fact that a sailing schooner anchored nearby did not have its own disaster. Also unclear is whether the crew was aware that the Italian authorities had issued general warnings about bad weather the night before.

Karsten Börner, the captain of the nearby passenger ship, said he’d had to steady his ship during “really violent” winds . During the storm, he said, the Bayesian seemed to disappear behind his ship.

Severe lightning and strong gusts were registered by the Italian Air Force’s Center for Aerospace Meteorology and Climatology, according to Attilio Di Diodato, its director. “It was very intense and brief in duration,” he said.

The yacht, he said, had most likely been hit by a fierce downburst — a blast of powerful wind surging down during a thunderstorm. His agency put out rough-sea warnings the previous evening, alerting sailors about possible storms.

Locals have said the winds “felt like an earthquake.” A fisherman in Porticello said that he had seen a flare go off in the early-morning hours. His brother ventured to the site once the weather had calmed about 20 minutes later, he said, finding only floating cushions.

The Italian authorities have so far declined to say whether investigators had seen any structural damage to the hull or other parts of the ship.

Open hatches or doors?

The boat executive, Mr. Costantino, has argued that the Bayesian was an extremely safe vessel that could list even to 75 degrees without capsizing. His company, the Italian Sea Group, in 2022 bought the yacht’s manufacturer, Perini Navi, which launched the ship in 2008.

Mr. Costantino said that if some of the hatches on the side and in the stern, or some of the deck doors, had been open, the boat could have taken on water and sunk. Standard procedure in such storms, he said, would be to switch on the engine, lift the anchor and turn the boat into the wind, lowering the keel for extra stability, closing doors and gathering the guests in the main hall inside the deck.

At a news conference on Saturday, almost a week after the sinking, investigators said the yacht had sunk at an angle , with its stern — where the heavy engine was — having gone down first. The wreck was found lying on its right side at the bottom of a bay, about 165 feet deep.

12 guests occupied the yacht’s six cabins. There were also 10 crew members.

Open hatches, doors and cabin windows could have let in water during a storm, according to the manufacturer.

Open hatches, doors and

cabin windows could

have let in water

during a storm,

according to the

manufacturer.

Source: Superyacht Times, YachtCharterFleet, MarineTraffic

By Veronica Penney

Water pouring into open hatches or doors could have contributed to the sinking, experts say, but that on its own may not account for the speed at which such a large boat vanished underwater.

Asked about the hatches at the news conference, the authorities declined to comment on whether they had been found open at the wreck.

The authorities have also not specified whether the boat had been anchored, whether it was under power at the time or whether its sails had been unfurled.

A retracted keel?

The Bayesian had a keel — the fin-like structure beneath a boat that can help stabilize it — that could be retracted or extended, according to its manufacturer. On some yachts, keels can be raised to let the large vessel dock in shallower water, and extended downward to help keep a boat level.

But like the hatches, the status of the keel alone may not explain why a large ship sank with such precipitous speed. Investigators have not disclosed what divers may have seen at the wreck, aside from saying divers had faced obstacles like furnishings and electrical wiring in tight quarters. Officials want to raise the wreck to better examine it, a process that may take weeks.

Human error?

Ambrogio Cartosio, the prosecutor in charge of the case, said at the news conference that it was “plausible” crimes had been committed, but that investigators had not zeroed in on any potential suspects.

“There could be responsibilities of the captain only,” he said. “There could be responsibilities of the whole crew. There could be responsibilities of the boat makers. Or there could be responsibilities of those who were in charge of surveilling the boat.”

It remains unclear what kind of emergency training or preparation took place before the disaster, or what kind of coordination there was during it. So far, none of the surviving crew members have made a public statement about what happened the night the ship sank.

Prosecutors said they want to ask more questions of the captain and crew, who have been in a Sicilian hotel with other survivors. They said that neither alcohol nor drug tests had been performed on crew members, and that they have been allowed to leave Italy.

Prosecutors also said they were also investigating why the captain, an experienced sailor, left the sinking boat while some passengers were still on board.

Besides possible manslaughter charges, the authorities are investigating the possibility of a negligently caused shipwreck.

The bodies of five passengers were found in one cabin, on the left side of the yacht, the authorities said. The five were most likely trying to flee to the higher side of the boat and were probably sleeping when the boat started to sink, they said.

Crew of Sunken Yacht Says They Were 'Thrown Into the Water' but 'Tried to Save Those We Could': Reports

The captain and a sailor and engineer have spoken with investigators, according to Italian news media

The captain and two crew members now under investigation in connection with the sinking of the yacht  Bayesian  off the coast of Sicily last month are reportedly sharing some of what they say happened as the tragedy unfolded, ultimately killing seven aboard .

According to multiple Italian news reports, sailor Matthew Griffiths, who was on watch duty at the time, and Tim Parker Eaton, the ship’s engineer, as well as captain James Cutfield have each spoken with investigators about what led up to the  Bayesian  going into the water.

The Italian coast guard previously said the vessel sank around 5 a.m. local time on Aug. 19 after a "violent storm" while near Porticello in northern Sicily.

Twelve passengers and 10 crew were aboard: Six of the passengers — including British tech businessman Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah as well as two couples — were killed along with the yacht’s chef, Renaldo Thomas.

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Griffiths, speaking with investigators, said that “I woke up the captain when the wind was at 20 knots [23 mph]. He gave the order to wake everyone else up,” according to the  La Stampa  newspaper.

“Then I put away the cushions and plants,” Griffiths is quoted as saying. “I closed the glass windows of the lounge at the bow as well as the hatches.”

Prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano has previously referred in a press conference to a "sudden and unexpected event" of weather before the sinking and said the yacht had been "hit by a downburst."

Italian TV network RAI quoted Griffiths as telling investigators that the yacht’s crew all went into the sea because of the weather but “managed to climb back on board.”

"The ship tilted and we were thrown into the water. Then we … tried to save those we could,” he said, per  La Stampa .

“The boat was tilted and we were walking on the walls,” he said. Similar comments were also reported by Ansa , an Italian news agency.

Related: Survivor of Yacht That Sank Off Sicily's Coast Recalls How She Used 'All My Strength' to Save Her 1-Year-Old

Cutfield likewise said the  Bayesian  listed 45 degrees and then fell sharply to the right, according to what he told investigators as quoted by the  Corriere della Sera  newspaper.

According to RAI, citing what Griffiths told authorities, some of the crew created a kind of human chain to reach the passenger area from the  Bayesian ’s bridge in order to get some people off the yacht.

Eaton, the engineer, told investigators that the  Bayesian ’s hatches were closed when the weather hit, except for an entry to the engine, as quoted by  Corriere della Sera .

It remains unclear how and why the superyacht succumbed to the weather in what some witnesses have said was mere minutes. 

The  Bayesian ’s captain and Parker Eaton and Griffiths have reportedly all been placed under investigation for potential multiple manslaughter and negligent shipwreck charges — but that is not the same as being charged with a crime and none of the men have been formally accused of wrongdoing.

They have not commented publicly.

Related: Coast Guard Says They’re ‘Not Sure a Black Box Was Present’ in Sunken Sicily Yacht

Borner, captain of the  Sir Robert Baden Powell , whose boat was nearby at the time, previously told PEOPLE that he noticed the weather deteriorated very rapidly around 3 a.m. local time on Aug. 19. 

“The weather turned very quickly and reached us even more quickly,” he said. “And the  Bayesian  was there at the time. It was anchored like us. We kept an eye on it. We had turned the engine on to maintain our position in case the anchor didn’t hold and were carefully watching it to keep at a distance from it as well. We were the only two ships out in the bay.”

Borner and a passenger saw a red flare and then a white one. It prompted Borner and his first mate to board a tender, and they headed in the direction where the  Bayesian  had been. 

“We first found things floating in the water like cushions and chairs and stuff,” Borner said. “And then we saw a flickering light. This was a life raft with a light on the top. And they also waved at us with a torch.”

“So we went there,” he added, “and then we found the crew and part of the passengers — 15 people in a 12-person raft, including a little baby .”

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Italian officials open shipwreck and manslaughter investigation in superyacht sinking that killed 7

Updated on: August 24, 2024 / 9:01 AM EDT / CBS/AP

Prosecutors in Italy said Saturday they have opened an investigation into shipwreck and manslaughter after a superyacht capsized during a storm off the coast of Sicily, killing seven people onboard.

Termini Imerese prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio confirmed the investigation but said no suspect is currently identified. Investigators are hoping to salvage the ship, which is lying on the seabed 164 feet underwater , but that may take months. 

"We are only in the initial phase of the investigation. We can't exclude any sort of development at present," he told reporters at a news conference. 

The main question investigators are focusing on is how a sailing vessel deemed "unsinkable" by its manufacturer, Italian shipyard Perini Navi, sank while a nearby sailboat remained largely unscathed.

Civil protection officials said they believe the yacht, which featured a distinctive 246-feet aluminum mast, was struck by a tornado over the water , known as a waterspout, and sank quickly. 

Rescuers on Friday brought ashore the last of seven bodies from the sinking of The Bayesian, an 184-foot British-flagged luxury yacht that went down in a storm while docked near the small Sicilian village of Porticello early Monday. The sailboat was carrying a crew of 10 people and 12 passengers.

The body was believed to be that of Hannah Lynch, 18, the daughter of British tech magnate Mike Lynch . His body was recovered on Thursday. He had been celebrating his recent acquittal on fraud charges with his family and the people who had defended him at trial in the United States. His wife, Angela Bacares, was among the 15 survivors who escaped in a lifeboat.  

"The Lynch family is devastated, in shock and is being comforted and supported by family and friends. Their thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy," a spokesperson for the family said in a statement issued Friday.

The other five victims are Christopher Morvillo, one of Lynch's U.S. lawyers, and his wife, Neda; Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley's London-based investment banking subsidiary, and his wife, Judy; and Recaldo Thomas, the yacht's chef.

Rescuers struggled for four days to find all the bodies, making only slow headway through the interior of the wreck because of how far below the surface it is. Searchers used an underwater drone as part of the recovery efforts. 

Area resident Maria Vizzo told CBS News that the region has "never seen something like this." 

"Sunday night here we saw the end of the world in Porticello," Vizzo said in Italian. "The town of Porticello is mourning these people who died. Everyone is talking about it on the radio, and in the news. We are here. We pray to the Lord, and we ask for a blessing for those who died." 

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4 victims on Mike Lynch's yacht were trapped inside air bubbles before suffocating, report suggests

• Four victims in a sunken superyacht were likely trapped inside air bubbles, per Italian media.
• The four ran out of oxygen and suffocated, la Repubblica reported, citing autopsy results.
• The yacht sank last month, claiming seven lives, including the tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch.

Four of the bodies recovered from Mike Lynch's superyacht showed signs that they had been trapped inside air bubbles before suffocating to death, an Italian media report said.

La Repubblica, citing autopsy results, reported that four of the seven victims who died after British tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily last month died of "atypical drowning."

The autopsies found no water in their lungs, trachea, or stomach, which suggested that they ran out of oxygen while stuck inside air pockets in one of the yacht's cabins, per the outlet.

Pathologists from the Institute of Forensic Medicine of Palermo's Polyclinic carried out the autopsies on the bodies of Lynch's attorney Chris Morvillo; his wife, Neda Morvillo; the Morgan Stanley executive Jonathan Bloomer; and his wife, Judy Bloomer, on Monday and Tuesday, the report said.

Tiziana Lenzo, a press officer for Palermo's Polyclinic, told Business Insider that the hospital was not allowed to comment on the autopsy results because the incident is under investigation.

The 183-foot Bayesian superyacht sank on August 19 during stormy weather near Porticello, prompting the Italian Coast Guard to launch a search-and-rescue effort.

Fifteen of the 22 people on board survived, while seven — including Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter — were confirmed dead.

Matthew Schanck, the chairman of the UK's Maritime Search and Rescue Council, told BI last month, while the rescue efforts were still ongoing, that divers were likely searching for air pockets where survivors may be located.

Meanwhile, Nick Sloane, who worked on the Costa Concordia salvage operation, told Sky News at the time that divers had a "very small" window of time to try to locate anyone stuck inside, hopefully in "an air pocket."

In the aftermath of the sinking, some have focused blame on crew members.

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Giovanni Costantino, the CEO of the Italian Sea Group, which owns the firm that built the Bayesian in 2008, criticized crew members for not following protocol and failing to prepare for the storm.

Costantino told the Financial Times that the yacht was "designed to be absolutely stable."

Franco Romani, a nautical architect who was part of the team that designed the yacht, told La Stampa that the Bayesian was built to go to sea in "any weather" and that a side hatch left open could have let water enter the vessel, per Reuters.

During a press conference last month, investigators said five bodies had been discovered in the same cabin.

Italian prosecutors said they had opened a manslaughter investigation following the sinking.

The captain of the yacht, James Cutfield from New Zealand, and two Britons — an engineer, Tim Parker Eaton, and a crew member, Matthew Griffiths — have been placed under investigation, per Sky News .

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