A tragic incident occurred off the coast of Palermo, Sicily, as a superyacht, reportedly carrying mostly British passengers, capsized and sank after being caught in a tornado. Italian media report that one person has died, while six others remain missing.
According to Luca Cari, a spokesman for the Italian fire rescue service, 15 people were rescued from the 49-meter (160-foot) sailboat. Among the survivors is a one-year-old child, who has been taken to a children’s hospital in Palermo for treatment.
The vessel, flying a British flag, had passengers from various nationalities, including the UK, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, France, and Ireland. The superyacht, named “Bayesian,” had set sail from the port at Porticello on Sunday evening before encountering the severe weather early Monday morning.
Search efforts are ongoing, with a helicopter and rescue boats from the coast guard and fire rescue service combing the area for the missing individuals.
The Superyacht Times describes the “Bayesian” as one of the largest superyachts in the world. Further updates on this breaking story are expected as more details emerge.
