A tornado hit the coast of Sicily early Monday, sinking a luxury yacht and leaving six people missing.
Italian emergency workers are still searching for the missing individuals as the yacht, named “Bayesian,” was anchored off the northern coast of Sicily when a waterspout, a type of tornado, struck.
The storm caused the yacht’s mast to break, leading to the vessel sinking. Fifteen people were rescued from the wreckage, but one person was found dead.
Among the missing are two Americans and four Britons, including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer, and lawyer Chris Morvillo.
Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter is also missing, while his wife survived the incident.
Eyewitnesses described the storm as having strong, hurricane-like winds that caused significant damage near the pier.
Survivors were found clinging to life rafts, and one child was airlifted to a hospital in Palermo.
The Italian Coast Guard, along with fire brigade helicopters and divers, are continuing the search operation. However, hopes of finding the missing people alive are fading.
The United Kingdom’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has sent inspectors to assess the situation.
The yacht, built in 2008, was 56 meters long and had been available for charter at $215,000 per week. It was one of the tallest yachts in the world, with a mast standing at 72.27 meters.
The storm was fueled by unusually warm sea temperatures, which reached nearly 30 degrees Celsius around Sicily. Warmer waters provide more energy for storms, making them more intense.
