Salvage of 56m sunken yacht Bayesian concludes

Salvage of Bayesian concludes

Nearly a year on from her tragic sinking, and the final stage in the Bayesian salvage operation has been completed. The mast of the 56-metre Perini Navi – which measures a staggering 72 metres – was delivered to Termini Imerese last Wednesday (25 June).

TMC Marine, the company in charge of the salvage, noted that salvage teams had also removed "potential debris" that may have migrated from the sailing yacht over the past 10 months. This included deck furniture and other loose items that were identified during surveys of the seabed, completed using remote-controlled submersible equipment.

Hebo-Lift 10 – one of the most powerful cranes in Europe and a crucial tool in the salvage – departed Termini Imerese for Rotterdam on Friday (27 June). 

Bayesian transported to Termini Imerese

The 56-metre sailing yacht Bayesian has successfully landed ashore following her lift from the seabed on Saturday (21 June). The Perini Navi was settled on to a custom, Dutch-built cradle in Termini Imerese, approximately 10 nautical miles from the site of her sinking in Porticello. Salvage vessel Hebo-Lift 10 – one of Europe's most powerful sheerleg cranes – was responsible for transporting the wreckage.

New images suggest that Bayesian is in better condition than many had expected. Her exterior is largely intact, though there is clear damage to her taffrail and hardtop.

Bayesian fully raised ahead of transport to shore

The 56-metre sailing yacht Bayesian was raised out of the water by salvage cranes early this morning (21 June). This development marks the most significant step yet in the complex salvage of one of the world’s most high-profile sailing yachts.

According to TMC Marine, the company in charge of the salvage, the Perini Navi will remain suspended above the water for a series of initial inspections. She will then be transported to shore and settled in a specially built steel cradle, with this final stage scheduled for Monday (23 June).

Marcus Cave, director of TMC Marine, described the lifting operation as "complex and precise". "The salvage team has progressed in a systematic way that prioritised the safety of all working on site and minimised any potential impact on the environment," he said. "This care for personnel and for the environment will continue as Bayesian is transported into port tomorrow."

Bayesian now suspended above seabed ahead of Saturday surface lift

The full raising of Bayesian is now officially scheduled for early tomorrow (21 June), according to a statement released this afternoon by TMC Marine, the company in charge of the salvage.

Eight heavy-duty straps – four at the bow and four at the stern – are now holding the vessel securely in place beneath the floating crane vessel Hebo-Lift 10. The superyacht is currently suspended just above the seabed, with the accommodation now elevated temporarily out of the water.

Final checks and detailed preparations are now underway ahead of tomorrow's main lift, when Hebo-Lift 10 will begin slowly hoisting Bayesian fully out of the sea. Seawater will be pumped from the hull during the process, and the vessel will be held aloft over the weekend before transport begins.

If conditions remain favourable, Bayesian will be transported to the port of Termini Imerese on Sunday (22 June), and craned ashore into a specially built steel cradle on Monday (23 June).

Salvage director Marcus Cave of TMC Marine said the team had made “very substantive progress” in the last 10 days, and reiterated the importance of maintaining a secure perimeter around the site for safety. He added that the teams "are now preparing for the final, complex and delicate lifting operation, to bring Bayesian to the surface and ultimately into port."

Anti-pollution teams remain on standby throughout the operation, with oil booms in place around the lift zone.

Bayesian lifted from seabed in major salvage milestone

Bayesian has now been successfully lifted from the seabed off Sicily’s northern coast, marking a pivotal moment in the months-long recovery effort.

The operation, led by a specialist salvage team and supported by the heavy lift vessel Hebo-Lift 10, began earlier than anticipated and culminated today (20 June) with the yacht raised fully to the surface after three days of controlled elevation. 

Her distinctive blue hull and white superstructure are now visible above the waterline, and at the stern, the yacht’s name is beginning to re-emerge as seawater washes away 10 months of seabed sediment.

The yacht’s 72-metre mast was cut free earlier in the operation to allow for lifting. The base of the mast remains visible on the deck, while the mast itself still lies on the seabed and is expected to be salvaged separately at a later stage.

Bayesian righted on seabed ahead of weekend lift

Significant progress has been made in the recovery of Bayesian, with the superyacht now resting in a near upright position on the seabed. The vessel’s 72-metre mast was successfully detached and laid on the seafloor yesterday (17 June) using a precision diamond wire tool, clearing the way for hull adjustments. Salvors have since partially parbuckled the hull, aided by lifting slings.

In the coming days, hoses and plugs will be installed into the now accessible starboard side tank vents that previously lay directly on the seabed, 50 metres below the surface of the Tyrrhenian Sea in the Mediterranean.

With work to install these now underway, the vessel is expected to be brought fully upright this coming weekend (21-22 June). Subject to weather and final preparations, the Hebo-Lift 10 is scheduled to raise the hull to the surface this Saturday, followed by transfer to Terminal Imerese for handover on Monday (23 June), where the hull will subsequently be lifted onto a specially manufactured steel cradle that awaits on the quayside.

Marcus Cave, head of naval architecture and a director of TMC Marine, said: “The complex work to safely recover Bayesian has progressed quickly in the past week by the contractors’ personnel. Over the coming days, all going well, the vessel’s final recovery will take place this weekend and lead to her ultimate safe delivery to the authorities in Terminal Imerese.”

Pollution control remains active at the site, and the exclusion zone continues to be strictly enforced.

Full details of Bayesian salvage plan released

Full details on the recovery of Bayesian have been released. The recovery plan was confirmed following a meeting in Palermo yesterday (10 June), according to a statement released by TMC Marine, the company in charge of the salvage. Works will begin by temporarily lifting the stern section of the Perini Navi using Hebo-Lift 10, one of the salvage vessels on site. This will allow the salvors to install the slings necessary to ultimately lift the sailing yacht in late June.

The lifting of Bayesian requires eight main steel lifting strops to be installed under the hull, forming part of a specially designed steel wire lifting arrangement. After this step (but before Bayesian is lifted), salvage teams will use  "precision cutting tools" to remove the sailing yacht's 72-metre mast. Once lifted, Bayesian will be settled on a custom-manufactured steel cradle, now prepared on the quayside of Termini Imerese.

Another key piece of preparatory work has also been completed, with authorities successfully undergoing a 360-degree visual survey of the seabed. Using remote-controlled submersible equipment, this survey covered a 20-metre radius from Bayesian and identified 17 pieces of potential debris – including a life raft casing and items of deck furniture. These materials have now been safely recovered and brought to shore.

Anti-pollution monitoring of the site also continues, though no pollution has been identified to date.

Bayesian to be recovered by end of June

Steady progress has been made in on-site preparatory work for Bayeisan's recovery, according to TMC Marine, the company in charge of salvage works. Salvors are currently installing eight messenger lines (light ropes used to help pull heavy cables) underneath the hull – the first step in creating a lifting arrangement for the Perini Navi. All four lines have been fed under the bow, with the stern presenting "a more complicated challenge" given the position of the hull and the clay seabed on which the sailing yacht currently lays.

Bayesian is expected to be lifted in the second half of June, after the removal of the 72-metre mast using "precision cutting tools". 

TMC Marine also confirmed that preparatory tasks are now being completed by remote-controlled submersible equipment, managed from the two floating work platforms on site. New specialist equipment has arrived in Sicily from across Europe, together with new members of the salvage team, to accommodate the increase of remote-controlled tools and reduction in diving activity.

Section of Bayesian's sailing rig raised from seabed

The first piece of the sunken 56-metre sailing yacht Bayesian has been recovered. Salvage vessel Hebo-Lift 10 has lifted the main boom out of the water, a pole that would have supported the Perini Navi's sails (measuring an impressive 2,899 square metres) for increased speed and control. The anchor has also been recovered as TMC Marine, the company in charge of the salvage, prepares for the ultimate recovery of the hull itself.

TMC Marine also confirmed that, following the tragic death of a diver on-site, experts from HEBO and SMIT Salvage are now working on adjusting certain tasks to increase the use of remote-controlled tools.