A former captain of the doomed Bayesian superyacht has broken his silence over the tragedy that killed seven people off the coast of Sicily last week.
Stephen Edwards, who captained the ship between 2015 and 2020, shared his theory about the yacht’s “limitations” that may have contributed to its sinking during a storm. Investigators are now trying to figure out what happened that fateful morning.
Yesterday, he wrote on the Scuttlebutt website that he was “100 percent” certain the hull would not have been left open overnight. There are no windows or portholes on board that can be opened.
While avoiding contributing to wild speculation surrounding the incident, he assured that the ship was “sound and seaworthy in design and, to the best of my knowledge, well maintained as such.”
If the ship had listed more than 45 degrees, it could have resulted in flooding and loss due to flooding. [it] “could not be controlled,” he said, and weather conditions could create “extreme circumstances” leaving little time to respond.
Former Bayesian captain Stephen Edwards shared his ‘notes’ on the tragic sinking
A handout photo provided on August 19 by the Perini Navi Press Office shows the ‘Bayesian’ sailboat in Palermo, Sicily, Italy
James Cutfield, a 51-year-old New Zealander, was in charge of the Bayesian when it sank in a storm off the coast of Sicily
British tech magnate Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah both died in the Bayesian tragedy when the superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily
“If the vessel heels more than 45 degrees while in normal operating condition, it may result in flooding and loss if the flooding cannot be controlled,” the former skipper wrote in a message on the sailing news website.
Heel is a technical term for the way a ship ‘heels’ or tilts to one side. This is usually caused by the force of the wind on the sails.
‘The downward flooding angle for Bayesian was about 40-45 degrees… much less than the angle of vanishing stability [whereby the vessel cannot return to the upright].
‘So if the ventilation valves are not closed (which is NOT the case when the HVAC systems and generator are running, because they need to be open for that), the ship will quickly flood if it is heeled more than the heeling angle.’
He added that adverse weather conditions could have caused “these extreme circumstances”, which can occur “with very little warning” and that “due to the local location it is difficult to prepare for them, giving the crew very little time to respond”.
The Bayesian had only one grenade port in the fuselage, he added, noting that it could only be opened in “flat, still conditions,” meaning it certainly could not be opened at night.
Edwards noted that the mast and platform presented “structural challenges during construction and its service life,” but that ultimately it was “a robust and well-controlled platform… that performed well, within the limits of its design.”
“The vessel comes with a set of sail plan recommendations that ensure the vessel sails within the structural limits of the rig and the heeling limits of the hull in various wind conditions,” he said.
“The investigators will have to figure out how the ship got beyond its operational limits, and I’m sure they will,” Edwards concluded.
Recaldo Thomas, chef on the Bayesian, was the first person rescued after the yacht sank Monday
Judy and Jonathan Bloomer died on the Bayesian when the ship capsized in the water
The bodies of Neda and Chris Morvillo, pictured in 2018, were also recovered last week
Conditions underwater were described as “complex” and “obstructive” for divers who were called in from across Italy to search for the bodies of those on the ship.
Divers could only go down for 10 minutes at a time due to the depth of 50 meters, which is much deeper than most recreational divers are qualified to reach
The comments came as James Cutfield, the captain of the Bayesian when it sank on August 19, was formally questioned for the first time by an Italian magistrate on Tuesday.
Cutfield’s lawyers said he was too “shocked” to make a statement after he was investigated on Monday for intentional shipwreck and multiple manslaughter.
Under Italian law, being under investigation does not imply guilt or necessarily lead to criminal charges.
Alba Mordiglia, representing Cutfield, said the captain wanted to cooperate with the investigation but later said he had exercised his right to remain silent.
“There were two reasons,” Mordiglia said The Times“It is understandable that he is very shocked. Furthermore, we as lawyers were only appointed yesterday and we had to gather information that we do not have to defend him.”
On Saturday, Chief Prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio confirmed that the investigation had started.
He said his team would take into account all possible elements of responsibility, including those of the captain, the crew, those responsible for supervision and the yacht’s manufacturer.
Although it is believed that the yacht was hit by a very sudden meteorological event, it is likely that there was multiple manslaughter and causing a shipwreck through negligence, Ambrogio Cartosio, chief prosecutor for Termini Imerese, said on Saturday.
Under maritime law, the captain is fully responsible for the ship, its crew and the safety of all persons on board.
Seven people, including six passengers and a crew member, drowned in the tragedy during a heavy storm.
Passengers included British tech magnate Mick Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah.
Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, described how she held her one-year-old baby above the waves to save her from drowning before she was rescued with 14 othersincluding Cutfield.
Her company, Revton Ltd, owned the Bayesian.
Dr. Lynch with his wife Angela, who managed to escape Monday’s disaster
Hannah was a pupil at Latymer Upper School in West London and had earned a place at Oxford to study English Literature
A life raft from the yacht Bayesian at the scene of the crime in the port of Porticello
Fire department diving team returns to port on fourth day of search and recovery operation
According to salvage experts, investigators are now trying to raise the ship. The operation is estimated to cost £13 million and could take six to eight weeks. Ultimately, they should gather vital information.
Nick Sloane, who led the Costa Concordia salvage operation after it sank in 2012, told Italian newspaper La Repubblica the operation should be completed by mid-October, without giving a reason for the timing.
“The ship must be salvaged as it is, in one piece, and we try to keep it as intact as possible.”
Such an operation may require cranes and as many as 40 divers, but it could provide clues about the sequence of events before the tragedy unfolded.
However, the conditions underwater have already been described as ‘complex’ and ‘obstructive’ for the divers who searched for the bodies of the people on the ship.
The 180ft Bayesian, which flies the British flag, was built in 2008 by Italian shipyard Perini Navi and was refitted in 2020.