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2022’s largest superyacht event in the southern hemisphere, shows yachts have made a return

January 22, 2023 by Caroline

A superyacht welcome function, held last month marking the start of the cruising season in New Zealand, showed the strength of the return of superyachts to the southern hemisphere cruising grounds. 

Superyachts are back, and the New Zealand industry has welcomed them with open arms.

At the country’s annual Superyacht Welcome Function, which marks the start of the superyacht season in New Zealand, crew from more than 30 superyachts gathered to celebrate the return to New Zealand’s iconic cruising grounds.

Hundreds of crew, both newly arrived in New Zealand and from yachts that had undergone refit in the country through winter, demonstrated the return of superyachts in force to New Zealand for its cruising season.

Hosted by Superyacht New Zealand and NZ Marine, crew were joined by key industry representatives and 54 sponsor companies from the domestic market, which specialises in the provision of high-quality refit and services. The event was also an opportunity to foreshadow one of the key events on the superyacht calendar in New Zealand, as Sail GP prepares to race in March 2023, with Sail GP’s chief commercial officer, Karl Budge on hand to get the crowd excited about the superyacht and VIP race viewing to come.

New Zealand’s superyacht-friendly legislation and easy clearance policies have seen yachts rapidly return to the country, with a two-year temporary import entry (TIE) gaining yachts tax concessions. With the opportunity to access GST-free goods, services, and refit, the nation has also greatly increased its marine infrastructure, ensuring vessels have world-class facilities.

The past three years have seen New Zealand’s inner city marinas, haul out and refit facilities increase exponentially and it’s now possible to berth an exceptional number of large superyachts in the heart of major cities.

Peter Busfield, executive director of NZ Marine, the organisation which administers Superyacht New Zealand, greeted guests and thanked crew for visiting New Zealand.

He invited crew to pick up a copy of the Destination & Cruising New Zealand book, which is also available for download. Detailing the best of New Zealand cruising, it acts as a companion for crew both planning their New Zealand journey and those already in the country.

The guide has just been re-released with updated information. Download the Guide here , and see Superyacht New Zealand for more information.

ENDS superyachtnewzealand.co.nz www.nzmarine.com

For more information or interview requests, please contact Isla McKechnie of Albatross PR,  [email protected]

The event was made possible through the sponsorship of the following companies.

37 South ‍ Altex Coatings ‍ ATTEST Ltd ‍ Auckland Boat Show ‍ Auckland Engineering Supplies ‍ Azimut Yachts ‍ Babcock New  Zealand ‍ Bay Of Islands Marina Port Opua ‍ Boat Cover Company ‍ Brin Wilson Boat Builders ‍ Catalano Shipping ‍ DM Marine  Electronics ‍ Doyle Sails ‍ ENL Electronic Navigation ‍ Glengarry Wines ‍ GoFuel ‍ Hall Spars ‍ Hesketh Henry ‍ Holton Marine ‍ IMED ‍ Integrated Marine Group (IMG) ‍ Lighthouse Marine Equipment ‍ Liquid Automation ‍ Lloyd Stevenson  Boatbuilders ‍ Marsden Cove Marina ‍ North Sails ‍ Oceania Marine ‍ Orams Marine ‍ Penske New Zealand ‍ Port Nikau ‍ Power Equipment ‍ Propspeed ‍

Reid Yacht Services ‍ Rig Pro ‍ Silo & Viaduct  Marinas ‍ Smuggler Marine ‍ Southern Spars ‍ Sovereign Services ‍ Super Yacht  Coatings ‍ Tenob Wholesale Marine ‍ Terra Cat ‍ The Produce Co ‍ Tidal Yachting ‍ Titan Marine ‍ TNL Pindar ‍ Urban Sea ‍ Viking Recruitment ‍ VMG Clothing ‍ West Auckland Upholstery and Covers ‍ Wilco Marine Services ‍ Yachting Developments

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By SuperyachtNews 20 Dec 2022

New Zealand superyacht season commences

The newly formed superyacht new zealand organisation hosted crew from more than 30 yachts to announce the start of the southern hemisphere season….

A superyacht welcome function held on December 13, marked the start of the cruising season in New Zealand and showed the strength of the return of superyachts to the southern hemisphere cruising grounds. Superyachts are back, and the New Zealand industry has welcomed them with open arms.

At the country’s annual Superyacht Welcome Function, which marks the start of the superyacht season in New Zealand, crew from more than 30 superyachts gathered to celebrate the return to New Zealand’s iconic cruising grounds.

Hundreds of crew, both newly arrived in New Zealand and from yachts which had undergone a refit in the country through winter, demonstrated the return of superyachts in force to New Zealand for its cruising season.

Hosted by Superyacht New Zealand and NZ Marine, crew were joined by key industry representatives and 54 sponsor companies from the domestic market, which specialises in providing high-quality refit and services. The event was also an opportunity to foreshadow one of the critical events on the superyacht calendar in New Zealand, as Sail GP prepares to race in March 2023, with Sail GP’s chief commercial officer, Karl Budge on hand to get the crowd excited about the superyacht and VIP race viewing to come.

New Zealand’s superyacht-friendly legislation and easy clearance policies have seen yachts rapidly return to the country, with a two-year temporary import entry (TIE) gaining yachts tax concessions. With the opportunity to access GST-free goods, services, and refit, the nation has also greatly increased its marine infrastructure, ensuring vessels have world-class facilities.

The past three years have seen New Zealand’s superyacht marinas, haul out and refit facilities increase exponentially. It’s now possible to berth or refit large superyachts in key regions throughout New Zealand.

Peter Busfield, executive director of NZ Marine, the organisation which administers Superyacht New Zealand, greeted guests and thanked crew for visiting New Zealand.

He invited crew to pick up a copy of the Destination & Cruising New Zealand book, which is also available for download. Detailing the best of New Zealand cruising, it acts as a companion for crew planning their New Zealand journey and those already in the country.

The guide has just been re-released with updated information. Contact Superyacht New Zealand for more details and to download the guide. 

Image credit: Superyacht New Zealand/Jeff Brown

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SailGP has confirmed the highly-anticipated New Zealand Sail Grand Prix in Christchurch will take place on March 18-19, 2023.

The spectacular setting of Lyttelton Harbour will play host to the adrenaline-filled racing, marking Christchurch as one of at least nine iconic global destinations to celebrate the international event in the expanded calendar for Season 3.

The 2023 New Zealand Sail Grand Prix is the first event in a four year commitment with support from the Government through the Major Events Fund, Christchurch NZ and Auckland Unlimited. Through the partnership – spanning Season 3 to Season 6 – Christchurch and Auckland will share hosting duties of SailGP, claiming a permanent fixture on the SailGP season calendar and the first home event for Peter Burling and Blair Tuke’s New Zealand SailGP Team.

New Zealand SailGP Team co-CEO Blair Tuke said: “Entering Season 3 of SailGP and our second year in the league knowing we’ll be racing on home waters in March adds an extra element of excitement and determination. New Zealanders have always been keen sailors and supporters, and we can’t wait to have that Kiwi energy and hype right there on the water’s edge.”

The race course for the New Zealand Sail Grand Prix has also been confirmed, with fans getting closer to the action in New Zealand than they ever have before.

Ten identical wingsailed, foiling catamarans are expected to reach speeds of of over 50kts as they fly within metres of the shoreline by Naval Point, coming into the finish in front of thousands of fans.

SailGP Commercial Director and Head of Event Karl Budge said: “It’s fantastic to be working with ChristchurchNZ to bring this vision to life. Together we’re committed to re-imagining how Kiwis are entertained by sailing over the next four years. With what we have planned, I am sure this will become the summer event in New Zealand.

“Heading into its third season, SailGP is going from strength to strength commercially and is recognised as the fastest growing sports league in the world – it is action-packed, boat-to-boat racing just metres off the shoreline edge. With 10 boats on a very tight course, it really is dramatic, as we have seen with other events this season with capsizes, crashes and daring passing maneuvers.

“SailGP is expected to generate many positive benefits for the New Zealand economy and environment. The experience will help stimulate and promote regional tourism, showcasing Christchurch in a unique way to a global audience and supporting a number of positive environmental projects.”

After the inaugural event scheduled for January 2022 in Christchurch was forced to be cancelled, ChristchurchNZ is excited to host the world-class event in Season 3.

Ali Adams, chief executive of ChristchurchNZ, said: “We couldn’t be more thrilled to have committed to hosting the first New Zealand Sail Grand Prix in Christchurch in 2023, along with Season 5. The Season 3 and Season 5 events are forecast to provide significantly increased benefits for Christchurch compared to the cancelled 2022 event, with more teams participating, a greater global broadcast audience as the popularity of SailGPhas grown, and more visitors due to the lessening of COVID-19 travel restrictions.

“Hosting SailGP will have positive legacy impacts for Christchurch and Lyttelton by boostingthe reputation of the harbour as a sailing destination, and the city as a place capable of hosting large-scale international events. These legacy impacts will be boosted by the multi-year commitment SailGP has made to New Zealand through to 2026. We are also excited about the greater and longer-term future opportunities the event will have for the various communities around Lyttelton Harbour.”

Tickets to the New Zealand Sail Grand Prix will go on sale later this year. To sign up and be the first to access tickets click here  www.sailgp.com/newzealand

SailGP Season 3 Schedule // 2022-2023

• May 14-15 Bermuda Sail Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess
• June 18-19 United States Sail Grand Prix | Chicago at Navy Pier
• July 30-31 Great Britain Sail Grand Prix | Plymouth
• August 19-20 ROCKWOOL Denmark Sail Grand Prix | Copenhagen
• September 10-11 France Sail Grand Prix | Saint-Tropez
• September 24-25 Spain Sail Grand Prix | Andalucía – Cádiz
• November 12-13 Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas 2023*
• March 18-19 New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Christchurch
• May 6-7 United States Sail Grand Prix | San Francisco (Season 3 Grand Final)

*Further events will be announced to complete SailGP Season 3.

• New Zealand Sail Grand Prix

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SailGP comes to New Zealand in 2023 for four seasons - Auckland and Christchurch venues

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A Season in New Zealand

A Cruising Guide for Superyachts

Posted on November 6, 2019 February 26, 2020 by Seal Superyachts

New Zealand is an ideal destination for many Superyacht owners sailing in the Pacific. Not only is it a safe country in safe waters, south of the cyclone belt, but it has an English-speaking population. It’s a place where sailors can relax, slow down and catch up on boat projects and essential maintenance – after all, the majority of them will have sailed right along the coast of the Americas in a single 6,000-mile season.

Most owners choose to bring their yachts to Opua in the Bay of Islands, though some head directly for Marsden Cove (Whangarei) – the primary destination for maintenance. Larger vessels tend to clear in at Auckland as Opua can only dock yachts up to a maximum of 30 metres in length.

The Bay of Islands

The shallow waters of the the Bay of Islands make a very pleasant change for sailors who have spent months crossing the deep blue water passages of the Pacific. As the name implies, the bay contains a good choice of islands, some of them uninhabited. There’s a variety of anchorages available for every wind direction, as well as pristine beaches, hiking trails and a few hurricane holes. Each day dawns with emerald views and exotic birdcalls, like the wavering, gong-like call of the tui. Among the more popular islands is Urupukapuka, which is loved for the varied hiking opportunities its undulating terrain provides. Morturua also offers some very dramatic scenery and forested slopes.

As ideal a destination as this may sound, the Bay of Islands has its limits. It’s a relatively small place and, while there are dozens of excellent anchorages, the best spots are clustered around a handful of islands and mainland bays, none more than 15 miles from another. You can easily explore the best of the pay within a fortnight, even at a leisurely pace.

Beyond the Bay of Islands

The Cavalli Islands and Whangaroa are just a day’s sailing north of the Bay of Islands, and are equally enticing. Even the voyage there, with the feel of the open ocean under your keel, can be exhilarating without being too challenging. It’s still just a short coastal hop, with only line-of-sight navigation needed. Alternatively, you can head south to Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf. It’s a very popular destination that almost every sailor heads to eventually, though the journey can be a little wild. It requires shifting mentality from one of “paradise at anchor” to “full sailing mode” as the coastline is raw and exposed to the full brunt of the Southern Ocean. At its best, getting to the Hauraki Gulf is two or three days of enjoyable sailing. At its worst, it’s something of an endurance test.

Along the way between the Bay of Islands and the Hauraki Gulf is Whangamumu – an essential stop that’s just around the corner from Cape Brett. The large, circular bay opens to the east and is uninhabited. It contains only the ruins of an old whaling station, from which a number of hiking trails emerge. Other anchorages on the voyage south include Tutukaka and the outer reaches of Whangarei. There are several islands along the coast here, which are nice to look at as you sail by. Sadly, being nature reserves and having few safe anchorages among them, that’s all you can do with them.

The Hauraki Gulf

Conveniently close to Auckland, the Hauraki Gulf comfortably holds the title of New Zealand’s finest cruising ground. Within a short sail, you can go from city life to woodland reserves like Tiritiri Matangi Island. And, thanks to steady ocean breezes over relatively calm seas, that short sail is an excellent one.

Hopping the [generally] short distances between islands will reveal unique and varied environments on each. You can hike up to the volcanic peak of Rangitoto in the morning, then catch the 15-knot southeasterly wind to enjoy the nightlife of Waiheke Island’s swanky neighbourhoods. Of course, being such a fantastic destination, there will always be plenty of other sailors around. Fortunately, most anchorages are spacious, so you won’t be fighting for space.

If you’d rather escape the ‘sea of sails’, the peaceful Te Kouma Bay is within a day’s sailing from Auckland, on the Coromandel Peninsula. Alternatively, Great Barrier Island acts as a lid to the Hauraki Gulf and offers great hiking among native kauri trees. Be sure to visit the aptly named Smokehouse Bay, where a do-it-yourself wood-fired hot tub awaits.

South To Tauranga

At the northeastern-most point of Hauraki Gulf is Cape Colville, which effectively forms the edge of the map for most sailors. However, rather than monsters of the edge of the world, adventurous sailors are rewarded with destinations like Great Mercury Island. It’s just a day’s sailing to the southeast and is stunningly beautiful, with long, sandy beaches and outstanding scenery. As you head further south, you break up your trip with stops at Mercury Bay, Mayor Island and Slipper Island, weather permitting. It’s worth the voyage to reach Tauranga and its sister city, Mount Maunganui.

There are several reasons why this area should be on your itinerary. You can go ashore to see one of the best-known attractions of New Zealand’s North Island: Rotorua, which is famous for its culture and thermal activity. There’s also the stunning but extremely different scenery offered by Lake Taupo and Tongariro National Park. As an added bonus, the area has some of the lowest marina and yard fees on the North Island too.

If you really want to test your seamanship, you can sail down to the South Island and Fiordland. While very beautiful, the national park is at the extreme southern end of the country and extreme weather can make it effectively off-limits to most sailors, who prefer the calmer conditions of the North Island’s coastline and the convenient overland travel options to take them that far south. Of course, that only makes the experience more rewarding for those able to undertake it.

Along the east coast of the South Island, Akaroa is a little timewarp. The tiny towns around the natural harbour have developed just enough to provide pretty good sailing facilities, but still retain their 19th-century atmosphere and much of the architecture, too. The Akaroa Harbour is part of the Banks Peninsula, which was formed by volcanic activity. Even after 5 million years of inactivity, the area still has a fresh, rugged landscape.

It’s the rich, shallow waters in and around the harbour that bring sailors to this striking part of New Zealand, just southeast of Christchurch. Within a short distance of the main wharf, you can see a New Zealand fur seal colony, rare Hector’s dolphins and cliffs that teem with seabirds. If you like fishing, you can expect to hook blue moki, banded wrasse and a range of sharks, among plenty of others.

With such striking natural attractions, it’s worth noting that you’ll rarely be the only one on the water. Being within a short drive of Christchurch makes Akaroa is a popular day-trip destination. As such, there are many charter vessels in the area, as well as powerboats, pedalos and paddleboard companies.

Marlborough Sounds

The vast, remote Marlborough Sounds are made up of 4,000 sq km of rugged coastline, bays, drowned sea-valleys, native forests and beaches. The result is a natural paradise and a delightful cruising destination on the northern tip of the South Island.

The quaint port town of Picton is worth a visit in its own right, being a gateway to some very picturesque hiking routes. There are also some first-class wineries within a short drive. However, it’s the wildlife in the sounds that are the star attraction. Here, you’ll find the entire breeding population of the rough-faced shag (or New Zealand king cormorant), as well as fur seal colonies, dolphins and penguins.

While most of the waters within the sounds are perfectly calm, the Cook Strait is famous for its strong currents and rough waters, which can be treacherous. It’s worth being wary and maybe even seeking the assistance of a local expert, lest you add your cruiser to the long list of attractions for scuba divers here.

New Zealand’s capital, on the southern end of the North Island, might not be your first thought when it comes to picking a beautiful sailing destination. However, not only does it offer a vibrant city with excellent facilities on land, but there’s plenty to see around Wellington Harbour, too.

A perfect natural shelter, the harbour is a regular haunt of little blue penguins, dolphins and even orcas. Right in the middle is Matiu/Somes Island, which is both a historical and scientific reserve, home to New Zealand’s first harbour light, a Second World War anti-aircraft gun emplacement, seabird colonies and a number of nice hiking routes.

When it comes to sailing conditions, Wellington enjoys very consistent winds, making virtually every day in the summer an ideal day to raise the sheets and earning it the nickname “Windy Wellington”. Of course, many Wellingtonians get the same idea, which can make the harbour a little crowded, particularly on weekends.

Napier and the Hawke’s Bay region, on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, is home to a rich array of history and nature. There’s the Cape Kidnappers gannet colony at the southern end of the bay, close to the city. Right at the northern end is the Mahia Peninsula, where you might be lucky enough to see a space rocket launch. In between, the region is a great wine-growing area.

The bay is a great spot for fishing. Among the potential catches are lemonfish, kahawai, trevally and moki. Even Napier itself gets regular visits from some interesting wildlife, including fur seals, whales, orcas and little blue penguins.

The Napier Sailing Club is a very good value marina and one of the few safe havens along an otherwise rather challenging coastline, so be sure to stop for a day or two to enjoy the city’s art deco architecture and interesting attractions.

The long natural harbour of Dunedin, on the southeast coast of New Zealand’s South Island, contains both a good choice of sailing clubs and marinas, but also an impressive array of wildlife. The Otago Peninsula runs parallel to the main coastline, creating the harbour, and is home to penguins, fur seals, sea lions, albatrosses and other remarkable creatures, all protected by extensive conservation areas.

Out to sea, you might catch sight of some amazing animals, including blue, humpback and Minke whales. Sail for Taiaroa Head for the best chance of spotting these majestic giants. Other species spotted in the area include orcas, sperm and pilot whales and various types of dolphin.

The Otago Peninsula has a number of smaller coves facing out to sea, many of which are both strikingly beautiful and provide shelter for even more wildlife. There’s even an impressive amount of history to discover, including old fortifications, lime kilns and lighthouses. Be sure to check out the many hiking trails within easy reach of Dunedin city to fully enjoy this natural wonder.

Great Mercury Islands

The Mercury Islands consist of seven beautiful islands about 8 km off the northeast of the North Island. The largest of them – Great Mercury – is privately owned and hosts two luxurious residences that can be hired for about NZ$20,000 per day! Fortunately, you can access the island for free or enjoy enjoy its beauty from the surrounding sea without charge – and they certainly are beautiful! Expect white sands, rolling green hills and sapphire blue waters. Check out Peachgrove Bay – said to be one of the most beautiful bays in New Zealand!

If you like wildlife, you should certainly check out the smaller Mercuries. They host over 3,000 breeding pairs of Pycroft’s petrels and a number of other remarkable bird species. You can also expect to see sharks, penguins and more. Being pest-free, the wildlife on land is particularly remarkable.

We can’t possibly claim that New Zealand has everything you could possibly want from a destination, but it comes about as close as any single destination can. Apart from its own myriad attractions, it’s a restful stop for weary sailors, allowing them to recharge before heading out to “the Islands” – the Kiwi term given to the tropical nations to the north, including Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

In fact, some Superyacht captains enjoy the diversity and comfort of New Zealand that they will simply migrate between here and the tropics as the season changes, bouncing between the two continuously and returning to their favourite spots over and over again. It’s that sort of a place.

Destinations: Australasia , New Zealand

Footnote : Contact Seal Superyachts New Zealand for detailed information about cruising around New Zealand, superyacht charter regulations and about how we can support your visit. Principle agent Ben Osborne is proud to have worked with many of the World’s largest Superyachts and has extensive knowledge of New Zealand and the surrounding area. Ben Osborne Phone: +64 21 040 9976 Email: [email protected]

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New Zealand

Possessing an intense beauty mirrored in tranquil mountains and raging rivers, New Zealand is one of the most breathtakingly scenic yachting destinations in the southern hemisphere. Mesmerizing glaciers, bubbling mud pools and soft golden beaches are all there to be discovered alongside one of the world’s premier wine and food scenes.

The cruising grounds of New Zealand are split into the North and South Islands; varying in landscape and atmosphere but united in a pure sense of natural wonderment. The south is the most scenic and mountainous of the two, with a breathtaking range of jagged Alps running the length of the island. The north is somewhat of a quieter and more relaxed holiday destination with a strong yachting history.

Auckland The picturesque city of Auckland is famous for its exceptional international sailing connections, hosting a collection of first class regattas and superb marinas. The ‘City of Sails’ is the enchanting base for sailing the Hauraki Gulf and the Coromandel Peninsula, two equally captivating cruising grounds in their own right.

Hauraki Gulf and The Coromandel The Hauraki Gulf is an island-sprinkled, smooth-water paradise boasting gorgeous landscapes swathed in scarlet flowers, glowing beaches, sprawling vineyards and seaside villages that are a delight to explore. The Coromandel is dotted with sublime beaches and hidden bays that make for perfect anchorage points.

The Bay of Islands Further north, The Bay of Islands is traditionally New Zealand’s yachting centre, boasting an extraordinary protected bay and hundreds of secluded islands offering the perfect secluded escape. Characterised by unbelievably green hills rolling down onto silky soft sands, the cool waters are simply bursting with incredible marine life, where marlin, dolphins and seals can be seen right from the deck.

Marlborough Sounds For a more peaceful and secluded twist, head to one of New Zealand’s most internationally renowned areas in Marlborough Sounds. An absolute yachting heaven, the exquisite waters of Marlborough are equally matched by their onshore delights, boasting sheltered bays, glistening beaches, hidden caves and exhilarating bushwalks. World-renowned for its exquisite wines, the region is the perfect place to sample some of the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc.

Fiordland Words can not do justice to the natural wonder that awaits in the Fiordland on New Zealand’s remote south-west coast. Nothing short of spectacular, ethereal landscapes rise up majestically from the strikingly calm waters; a flowing combination of snow-capped mountains, rolling hills, tumbling waterfalls and fascinating wildlife.

Queenstown Onshore, there are endless outdoor pursuits on offer, from cycling and canoeing to walking and four-wheel driving. Inland on the South Island is the famous adventure capital of Queenstown, offering a dizzying range of unique and off-beat activities to satisfy even the most hardened thrill-seeker.

The Sailing Seasons Around the World (with Map)

Knowing the sailing seasons around the world help you to plan your trip well. I've made a list of sailing conditions around the world, so you know where to go when.

The sailing season dates for popular destinations:

• The Caribbean: midwinter and early summer (December - January or March - June)
• The Mediterranean: April - October, although the winter is fine as well
• Australia: May - October
• UK: throughout the year
• South Pacific: mostly May - October

But there's more to sailing seasons than just a fixed date. You really have to learn to decide on a day-to-day and year-to-year basis what the best time to go is.

In this article, I'll give you the rough timeframe for the most popular destinations, and after that, I'll dive a little deeper into the different things that make up the conditions of a sailing season. Oh, and cyclone season and hurricane season are one and the same thing - read on to learn why.

On this page:

Sailing seasons for different destinations, details on the caribbean season, details on the mediterranean season, understanding sailing seasons, what's a sailing season, hurricane's and cyclones, trade winds, related questions.

How Long Does it Take to Sail Around the World?

The Mediterranean - The Mediterranean doesn't really have a storm season, although the weather is most unsettled in late summer when the water and land temperature is highest and the air temperatures drop. This causes unsettled weather. I'll go into more detail on the conditions in the Meds below.

How Long Does it Take to Cross the Mediterranean Sea by Boat?

Croatia - Croatia's sailing season can be limited by the Bora, a North Eastern wind gust coming in from Russia, which can reach hurricane strength. It is strongest in winter. The Bora is a katabatic wind, which means it's a high-pressure wind that comes crashing into the Adriatic Sea through the force of gravity.

United Kingdom - The UK doesn't really have a sailing season, but the racing season runs from Spring - Autumn. But you can sail the coast throughout the year.

Baltic Sea - The Baltic has a short sailing season of 3 months, with extra long days and smooth water. The water, however, is very cold, especially in the first month (June) of the season.

North Atlantic Ocean - The North Atlantic has an active hurricane season running from June to December, with its peak around September. Around January, trade winds are at their best. If you want to know more about the Atlantic crossing, you should definitely read my previous article here. It explains the routes and distance, and the best time to go.

It takes just 2-3 weeks to cross the Atlantic . For a map with the route and some really good tips on how to make use of the trade winds, read my article on the Atlantic crossing here (new tab).

Caribbean - The Caribbean is said to have two seasons: April and November. These are the dryest and hottest months. The peak season is however around Christmas. I'll go into more detail on the conditions in the Caribbean below.

Here's the Best Time to Sail the Caribbean (3 Tips)

British Virgin Islands (BVI) - The calmest period weather-wise is around the winter. The temperatures are moderate, and the winds are moderate. But it will probably rain a little every day - although it's rare to get a full day of rain. This is also peak time, so it's the most crowded and expensive period. Early summer is also a great period since it's a little less crowded and expensive. Temperatures are hot, with light air (less wind than in winter).

Florida - Thunderstorms with heavy winds in the hurricane season. In the summer, nice, moderate winds (5 - 10 knots) with hot and humid weather. A lot of (very big) mosquitoes on the eastern shore locations.

The Best Time of Year to Boat from Florida to Bahamas

Sea of Cortez - The Sea of Cortez sailing season is roughly from November till April, but the peak season is from January to March. Summer, from July - September, is very warm in this area, resulting in storm season at the end of summer.

San Francisco Bay - The sailing weather for the San Francisco Bay area is best around autumn. The weather is clean, with light, predictable winds. Spring is also nice, with good temperatures and visibility. The summer can provide choppy waters, with bad visibility. Fog clouds spread over the bay area, and the winds get unpredictable. There isn't a real storm season here, but there can be an occasional thunderstorm.

For tips on how to sail from California to Hawaii , read my Sailing Guide: California to Hawaii here (new tab).

Northeast Pacific - The Northeast Pacific is the stretch of ocean between Mexico and Hawaii. One of the most active areas in the hurricane season worldwide. Avoid between June - October.

What's the Best Time to Sail Across the Pacific?

Northwest Pacific - The waters surrounding Guam are more likely to be hit by storms from July - December. The Northwest Pacific has a lot of tropical storms, so I recommend to avoid these waters in the hurricane season.

South Pacific - Best time to sail in the South Pacific is from May - October when there are little storms and the weather is settled.

French Polynesia - Full cyclones rarely hit the islands of French Polynesia. The South Pacific doesn't have many strong cyclones.

Australia - The waters North of Australia are prone to cyclones in the season (November - March), from 12 - 25 degrees. There aren't many cyclones outside this area, and if there are, they are almost always well predicted. The waters South of Australia are almost entirely cyclone-free.

Sailing from Australia to New Zealand (time, route, tips)

New Zealand - Practically hurricane-free.

North Indian Ocean - This ocean doesn't have an official cyclone season, but most storms do form between May and November. 2018 was the most active season since 1992, with 7 cyclonic storms. The best sailing time is during the North East monsoon when the weather is cooler and settled, and the winds are lighter and more predictable.

South Indian Ocean - The most cyclones in the South Indian Ocean usually occur between December - March, but this region is notorious for cyclones outside the season.

Thailand - Thailand has two seasons and no real hurricane season: the dry season (North East monsoon), which runs from May - September, and the wet season (South West monsoon), which runs from October - April. In the dry season, winds are usually stable, come from the Northeast and blow at force 2 - 4. The weather is dry and hot, with an average temperature of 30° C or 85° F. During the South West monsoon, the winds are a bit stronger (roughly 7-8 knots), making for more challenging sailing. Although Thailand doesn't have an official hurricane season, the change of storms increases in the monsoon season (South West monsoon).

Planning a long cruise? I've compiled a list of the most common changes and essentials for ocean passages. Make sure to read my 41 Sailboat Cruising Essentials for Long Trips here (new tab).

Why Does the Season Matter?

You can absolutely sail outside the season, but taking the hurricane season into account will make your sailing experience just generally better. Everything gets easier. You are much less likely to encounter critical situations. Planning your trip according to the seasons will make your trip safer and more comfortable.

So I recommend not sailing outside the season, unless you know what you're doing - and are experienced as a sailor and in weather forecasting.

• General sailing season: Early summer - May 1 - July 30
• Peak season: Last week of December - First week of January
• Temperatures are mild, weather is a bit unsettled, 25-knot winds not uncommon
• Hurricane season: August - September

Best time to go

Although most people will say that the best season to visit the Caribbean is winter, I disagree. Many sailors say that early summer is a great period in the Caribbean. Also, the threat of tropical storms is very much overrated and gets overhyped by the media. Anchorages at the leeward side of the island tend to be pretty well-protected.

May to Late July seems to be a great period to sail the Caribbean. The winds are calmer, the seas smoother, and although the masses like to go to the Caribbean the week after Christmas / before New Year's Eve, it's not the best period. Wind's are known to blow 25 knots throughout the winter period, which is great fun for a day or two, but I can imagine it gets uncomfortable at anchorage pretty quickly.

It's just the best place to be for winter, compared to other sailing regions - but the Caribbean waters are better in early summer, so in my mind, that's the real sailing season.

• General sailing season: Late May - Early October
• Hurricane season: Aug - Sep
• Peak season: Mid July - Late August

The peak season is very busy in the Meds, although there's plenty of places to go and avoid the crowds. It's also the hottest: temperatures may rise to over 35 degrees Celcius (or 95 degrees Fahrenheit). The European West Meds and Adriatic become expensive and very crowded.

The sailing season is a couple of weeks shorter for northern regions. So the northern sailing season runs from Mid April - Mid September :

• France Riviera
• Northern Ionian Sea
• Adriatic Sea

Like in the Caribbean, the peak season of sailing is actually not the best time to be there. I'm not really sure why everybody gets over there in a frenzy in a six-week period. It's so crowded and very expensive. The weather is so hot it's sometimes uncomfortable. I remember one particular summer in early August when I was in Italy; mid-day, temperatures almost reached 40 degrees Celcius (or 104 degrees Fahrenheit). It was insanely hot. An Italian friend kept telling me it was the worst time of year.

Locals all seemed to agree that spring was the best time to be in and around Italy. I agree. The temperatures are mild, really comfortable. True, the waters can be quite cold then, so maybe wait until early summer to go swimming and the like.

Late spring and early summer have a couple of advantages:

• not very crowded
• actual berths available
• a lot of places are less expensive, especially the Italian, and Croatian coast and Greece
• fresh fruit available everywhere
• mild temperatures and good weather

Mediterranean hurricanes are often smaller than full-fledged hurricanes, because the water temperature is a lot cooler throughout the year, making the difference in air temperature and water temperature smaller.

Med. Hurricane's are sometimes called Medicanes. On average, they are about half the size of hurricanes. They create wind speeds of up to 40 - 80 mph (in comparison, a hurricane can easily reach up to 75+ mph.)

They are subtropical storms and not hurricane strength, although they sometimes do reach hurricane strength.

The hotspots for hurricane's in the Meds are the Western Med between Spain and Sardinia and Corsica, and the Ionian Sea, south-east of Malta.

Before you plan any trip, it's important to have a basic understanding of the sailing seasons. Luckily it isn't rocket science and if you understand some basic concepts, it gets way easier to understand weather patterns.

The sailing seasons are usually pretty reliable and don't vary a lot. Knowing the averages gives you a rough estimation and guideline for trip planning. But sometimes even these averages are way off base. The start date of the hurricane season differs every year. For example, in 1938 the North-Atlantic hurricane season started on January 3 instead of June 1.

So it's important to know your stuff and always check the forecasts. You have to be able to determine the season yourself and to do this you need to understand the different factors that make up the sailing season. Every sailor should be able to determine himself/herself when the best time to go is.

So let's dive deeper into what makes up the sailing season and how to call it.

So what exactly is a sailing season? A sailing season is a timeframe in which a certain sea is known to have the best possible conditions for sailing. In this period the water is calm, the winds are reliable, the temperatures are good, and the weather forecast is reliable. The weather is settled - and big surprises are unlikely.

There are several things that decide when the sailing season is. The most important is the number storms you can expect.

Factors that determine the sailing season:

• Winds and storms
• Temperatures
• Reliability of weather forecast in certain periods

If all of these conditions are good, you're good to go. If the weather forecast isn't reliable, it's probably not a great idea to go far out. The Meds are known for unreliable forecasts. This doesn't mean the authorities are not competent, but when the weather in the Meds is unsettled, it can simply change very rapidly. Knowing this helps you to take down a reef or find safe harbor in time.

Here's a map of the sailing seasons per region:

How do hurricanes form? Hurricanes form when the temperature difference of water between the poles and the equator is at its highest, which is in the summer. They form around the equator, where this difference is the largest. The term hurricane is only used in the Northern Atlantic and Eastern Pacific. The scientific term is a 'tropical cyclone'.

Hurricane season is (roughly speaking):

• July - October in the northern hemisphere
• December - April in the southern hemisphere

The hurricane season simply is the period where the worst and most storms will occur.

But this doesn't mean that there are no major storms outside the season. You should always be aware of weather forecasts, even in the hurricane low season.

Here's a map of the hurricanes between 1985–2005:

If you want to understand sailing seasons, it's super important to understand a little bit about how wind works. Especially with bluewater sailing, the wind is one of the most important factors that dictate when and where you'll be able to go.

The trade winds are created by the rising hot air around the equator, which then moves towards the poles, cools off, and comes down again. This permanent circulation of air creates steady and reliable winds which are called the trade winds. Near the poles, these winds are generally westerly (they blow from the west) and near the equator, they are generally easterly (they blows from the east).

Here's a map of the trade winds:

Knowing these wind directions will help you to plan ocean passages more effectively.

How long does it take to sail across Pacific? It takes between 30 - 40 days to cross the Pacific, depending on your port of departure and arrival. It's about 4,000 nautical miles, which is roughly twice as long as the Atlantic crossing. The Pacific crossing is one of the longest ocean crossings possible.

What's the difference between a cyclone and a hurricane? The difference between a cyclone and a hurricane is the location of the storm. Hurricanes' are tropical storms that occur in the Northern hemisphere, while 'cyclones' occur in the southern hemisphere. In the Northwestern Pacific, the term typhoon is also used.

hmm, you need to improve your wording and your limitations on the Australian east coast. Its not ‘south of’ or ‘north of’ Australia. In the North of Australia, 12 to 25 degrees would cover it. Cyclones have been known outside this zone, but they are both rare and well predicted.

Thanks so much for your corrections. It’s always great to get first-hand information from somebody on the ground. I’ve updated the article to reflect your suggestions.

Hi Shawn, interesting articles. On Canary Islands in the Atlantic, one can sail the whole year. The weather is always good, good wind, no humidity, no rain, no cyclones. As the wind comes mostly from NE, it just isn’t always easy to sail back from the westerly islands to the easterly ones. We’ve already spent here 9 months before sailing to Cabo Verde. s/v Silkap www.svsilkap.com

Shawn Buckles

Thanks for the info. Sounds like a nice trip! - Tenerife is one of my favorite places on Earth - I’ve spent two weeks there a couple of years ago. (Your website looks good BTW).

Yeah, Tenerife is special with its highest mountain of Spain. We hope one day (very soon) you can travel full time. There are so many young people sailing around the world, so you have no excuses ;-)

Francisco J Ballesteros Corrales

Do you have an itinerary recomendation from Sea of Cortez to Japan. Season, route? I find info to Hawaii, but not much beyond, i dont know if there is a risk or restriction i do not know about. Great site!

I am having issues reconciling the season/hurricanes between the table and the map for the northpacific.

very informational. thanks. hartelijk bedanktell

I have to move my boat (sailboat 65’) from Los Angeles to North Carolina in 2021. I like to obtain all the information possible for a safe trip. This includes seasonal weather windows, areas and ports to avoid, areas and ports to favor, Best routes after Panama to Florida, yelling inside (ICW) or outside north of the East Coast, etc. Are there any books, publications recommended to consult?

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WELCOME TO YONZ

Welcome to YONZ

Cruise into your future, life before yachting, life while yachting, life after yachting.

What is Superyachting?

Superyachting is a professional career where you are employed to live onboard a Superyacht based in the worlds most tropical, prestigious or remote places. Here you will be trained to provide the highest level of service to the rich and famous people of the world, either through silver service and five star cuisine  as a ‘Stewardess’ or a ‘Chef’. Otherwise ensuring the yachts engines and all of its systems run smoothly as an ‘Engineer’, or making sure the yacht looks a billion bucks while entertaining your guests with every type of water sports under the sun as a legendary ‘Deckhand’.

Why Superyachting?

Superyachting is your ticket to travel the world on a luxurious yacht and getting paid very well while doing so. You will develop yourself personally and professionally, be provided with extraordinary career growth, learn skills you never even thought you ever would, and establish a fantastic international network; all the while setting yourself up financially for life.

Why use YONZ?

The processes and systems in yachting can be very confusing and overwhelming. That’s why we decided to create YONZ; to make make it as quick, easy, and as simple as possible to start your career, guide you through, and assist in completing your career.

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Easy, just click on the ‘Life Before Yachting’ tab, and follow the simple step by step process that we have laid out for you.

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We are delighted the announce that the oldest trophy in international sport – The America’s Cup – will be coming to Nelson Yacht Club on Saturday 7th September!

Ahead of the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona, and with thanks to Toyota New Zealand and The Kiwi Cup Tour , the America’s Cup itself will be touring the length of NZ. This is your chance to see it in person and grab that selfie!

Spend the evening with the America’s Cup and, in doing so, raise funds for the much-needed seismic strengthening of the NYC main building.

Tickets are available here for a formal Spanish Banquet & fundraising evening, kindly hosted next door at The Boathouse.

There will also be a more casual meet & greet with the Cup in the club’s Lower Lounge from 4-5.30pm. This will be a free event and open to the public. There’ll be a sausage sizzle so bring some change. Koha towards the seismic strengthening will be much appreciated!

Grab tickets to NYC’s Barcelona Bash fundraising dinner, and spend an evening with the America’s Cup, as well as much much more.

Find out more about NYC’s project – “Strengthening NZ’s oldest yacht club for future generations”, as we work towards completing seismic strengthening of the main building.

Join us on the water!

One of the busiest sailing schools in the country, providing the opportunity for kids and adults alike to learn to sail, windsurf or wingfoil and improve their skills in a safe and supportive environment. Click here to for more info

A busy club racing programme with handicap racing, and class racing, casual twilight racing , and a few special feature races thrown in. Check out the classes and pathways info too.

The club also hosts regional, national, and international regattas.

Join a welcoming, family friendly club and connect with others. Give back, with volunteering opportunities both on and off the water.

Travel to regattas and forge friendships in the wider sailing community in NZ.

Our mission

A family-friendly club focused on providing educational, recreational and competitive sailing & water-sports opportunities for all in the Nelson and Tasman districts.

Learn To Sail

We have programmes for beginners through to advanced coaching, and from 8 years, through to adults. Options range from weekly after-school sessions, holiday programmes, to weekend adult courses and private tuition.

Learn To Windsurf

Windsurfing isn’t just a sport, it is a lifestyle. Windsurfers live and breath it – once you’ve cracked it and got planing (blasting across the water at high speed) you won’t look back.

Learn To Wingfoil

Wingfoiling is taking the watersports world by storm. With a dedicated brand “Wingfoil Nelson” we’re building the community here at Nelson Yacht Club, looking after everything from lessons to gear sales and advice.

Join the Club!

Members are what makes a club, and we’ve got a great bunch! There are many ways to get involved – from being part of training courses, club racing, volunteering, committees and working bees etc…  and of course, there’s always time for a drink and a yarn after sailing.

Club Racing Programme

We have club racing most Saturdays throughout the season, with a mixture of handicap racing, scratch class racing, and special/feature races. There’s also a popular casual twilight racing series on Tuesday evenings. We have the annual Whakatu Regatta, and host regional, national, and international regattas.

Book your next function in the club’s Aurora Lounge. It is an excellent space, offering unrivalled views over the harbour to the Cut. The lounge can be booked for anything from smaller meetings through to conferences and of course parties and weddings!

Our Clean Club Story

In April 2023 we were proud to receive 2 Star recognition under the Yachting New Zealand Clean Club Programme.

More information, including our Environmental Sustainability Policy can be found here: Clean Club

There’s more than just sailing that happens at the Nelson Yacht Club facilities

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Boutique Superyachts represents New Zealand’s leading luxury classic superyacht charter. Sea Breeze III is like no other & her two year refit has been in keeping with her heritage, history, uniqueness of style, and very special features. Built-in 1976, originally christened Ulysses and owned by Graeme Hart, this beautiful classic 105 foot superyacht showcases the very best in craftsmanship & style.

On Sea Breeze we offer a looser kind of luxury boat charter, with the top-notch service and world-class service minus the pretension. Your boatel home away from home. From day events to overnight charters dive into some thing out of the extraordinary.

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Captain of doomed yacht that capsized off italian coast speaks out as desperate search for survivors is carried out.

The captain of the doomed Bayesian superyacht that capsized off the coast of Italy on Monday said the crew and passengers had no idea a tornado was about to rage through the region until their ship sank.

Captain James Catfield, who piloted the 184-foot, British-flagged luxury yacht, was among the 15 crew members and passengers to survive after the tornado struck Monday before sunrise.

“We didn’t see it coming,” Catfield told Italian newspaper La Repubblica from the hospital, where he was limping due to an injury.

One person, believed to be the on-ship chef, died in the wreck and six people remain missing, including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and top New York City lawyer Christopher Morvillo .

Morvillo’s wife, Neda, a jewelry designer, is also one of the six passengers still missing, officials said. 

In addition to the Morvillos and Lynch, the missing include Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, as well as Jonathan Bloomer, a chairman at Morgan Stanley Internationa l, and Bloomer’s wife, Judy.

What to know after a tornado sank the yacht Bayesian off the coast of Sicily:

• A superyacht capsized off the coast of Sicily after a tornado hit the area early Monday, killing seven passengers.
• British tech tycoon Mike Lynch was identified as one of the bodies pulled from the wreckage. His teenage daughter, Hannah, was the final one to be recovered.
• Lynch — known as “Britain’s Bill Gates” — had invited guests from Clifford Chance, a legal firm that represented him, and Invoke Capital, his own company, on the voyage,  according to the Telegraph . 
• Security camera footage shot from 650 feet from where the  Bayesian sank Monday  shows it disappearing.
• A rare and unexpected “black swan” weather event may have led to the  Bayesian’s speedy demise , maritime experts say.

Morvillo, 59, helped Lynch, the owner of the capsized luxury boat, win his fraud trial earlier this year.

Lynch had invited guests from the legal firm that represented him, Clifford Chance, and Invoke Capital, his own company, on the voyage, according to the Telegraph . 

The boat left the Sicilian port of Milazzo on Aug. 14 and was last tracked east of Palermo on Sunday evening, according to vessel tracking app Vesselfinder.

Police divers continued their search for the missing passengers Tuesday, focusing on an area some 164 feet underwater, where officials believe people may be trapped.

The search thus far has been slow because the Bayesian sits 50 meters below the surface, where divers can only stay for 12 minutes at a time, fire rescue officials said Tuesday.

Fire officials have said the six people unaccounted for will be referred to as “missing” until they are located in the wreckage. 

With Post wires

Advertisement

Inside the shocking Sicily yacht tragedy that left 7 people dead

There was a violent storm, but even then, luxury yachts are built to weather such events. so why did this boat sink off the coast of sicily, leaving seven people dead, by natalie finn | e news • published august 24, 2024 • updated on august 24, 2024 at 9:34 am.

Originally appeared on E! Online

Nobody was trying to reach the lowest depths of the ocean or otherwise test the boundaries of human endurance .

📺 24/7 Chicago news stream: Watch NBC 5 free wherever you are

But what was supposed to be a routine pleasure cruise aboard a superyacht turned deadly all the same on the morning of Aug. 19 when the 184-foot Bayesian got caught in a storm and sank off the coast of Sicily .

"I can't remember the last time I read about a vessel going down quickly like that," Stephen Richter of SAR Marine Consulting told NBC News . "You know, completely capsizing and going down that quickly, a vessel of that nature, a yacht of that size."

Of the 22 people onboard, including crew, seven people died. The last of the bodies was recovered Aug. 23, an expectedly sad coda to what had already been a tragic week as the search for answers as to how this happened got underway.

And to be sure, every minute of the Bayesian's ill-fated outing is being fiercely scrutinized, starting with the general seaworthiness of the vessel itself.

Because, frankly, this was a freak occurrence.

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"Boats of this size, they’re taking passengers on an excursion or a holiday," Richter explained. "They are not going to put them in situations where it may be dangerous or it may be uncomfortable, so this storm that popped up was obviously an anomaly. These vessels that carry passengers, they’re typically very well-maintained, very well-appointed."

But in this case, a $40 million yacht sank, seven people are dead—including a billionaire tech mogul and his 18-year-old daughter—and morbid fascination doesn't need a second wind.

Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter .

Here is how the story of the Sicily yacht tragedy has unfolded so far:

What happened to the yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily?

The Bayesian had set off from the Sicilian port of Milazzo on Aug. 14 at capacity with 12 guests and 10 crewmembers aboard.

The aluminum-hulled vessel was built in 2008 by Italian shipbuilder Perini Navi and registered in the U.K. Cruise sites listed it as available for charter at $215,000 per week, per the Associated Press.

On the morning of Aug. 19, the superyacht was anchored off the coast of Porticello, a small fishing village in the Sicilian province of Palermo (also the name of Sicily's capital city), when a violent storm hit.

The vessel "suddenly sank" at around 5 a.m. local time, seemingly due to "the terrible weather conditions," the City Council of Bagheria announced shortly afterward, per NBC News .

At the time, only one person was confirmed dead—the ship's chef—but six others were said to be missing. The 15 survivors—who managed to make it onto an inflatable life boat, according to emergency officials—were rescued that morning by the crew of another yacht that had been nearby when the storm hit.

"Fifteen people inside," Karsten Borner, the Dutch captain of the ship that was able to help (the Sir Robert Baden Powell), told reporters afterward, per Reuters. "Four people were injured, three heavily injured, and we brought them to our ship. Then we communicated with the coast guard, and after some time, the coast guard came and later picked up injured people."

When the storm hit, his boat ran into "a strong hurricane gust," Borner said, "and we had to start the engine to keep the ship in an angled position."

They "managed to keep the ship in position," he continued, but once the storm died down, they realized the other boat that had been behind them—the Bayesian—was gone.

The wreck ended up settling 165 feet below the surface, according to Italy's national fire department.

Fire officials said that divers, a motorboat and a helicopter were deployed to search for the missing.

Meanwhile, footage was captured of the ship capsizing on closed-circuit TV about a half-mile away from where it was anchored.

In the video obtained by NBC News, the illuminated 250-foot aluminum mast of the ship appears to list severely to one side before disappearing completely. Survivors recalled having just a few minutes to literally abandon ship.

Who were the seven people who died when the yacht Bayesian sank?

The tragedy initially became headline news because billionaire tech mogul Mike Lynch—"Britain's Bill Gates," some U.K. media called him—was among the missing. His body was ultimately recovered Aug. 22 .

"They told me that suddenly they found themselves catapulted into the water without even understanding how they had got there," Dr. Fabio Genco, head of the Palermo Emergency Medical Services, told NBC News Aug. 22. "And that the whole thing seems to have lasted from 3 to 5 minutes."

Genco said he got to Porticello about an hour after the Bayesian capsized.

Survivors "told me that it was all dark, that the yacht hoisted itself up and then went down," he said. "All the objects were falling on them. That’s why I immediately made sure, by asking them questions, if they had any internal injuries."

Why did the yacht sink?

Italian prosecutors are investigating to determine what transpired before the boat went down, according to NBC News.

Meanwhile, the CEO of shipbuilder Perini's parent company The Italian Sea Group defended the vessel itself as "unsinkable."

Perini boats "are the safest in the most absolute sense," Giovanni Costantino told Sky News Aug. 22 . What happened to the Bayesian "put me in a state of sadness on one side and of disbelief on the other," he continued. "This incident sounds like an unbelievable story, both technically and as a fact."

Costantino said it had to have been human error that led to the boat sinking, declaring, "Mistakes were made."

"Everything that was done reveals a very long summation of errors," he told newspaper Corriere della Sera Aug. 21, in an interview translated from Italian. "The people should not have been in the cabins, the boat should not have been at anchor."

The weather was "all predictable," he continued, adding that the storm "was fully legible in all the weather charts. It couldn't have been ignored."

The yacht's captain, identified as James Cutfield of New Zealand, was taken to Termini Imerese hospital for treatment. From there, he told La Repubblica, per Sky News , that he didn't see the storm coming.

Borner, the captain of the ship that rescued the 15 Bayesian survivors, told NBC News that he noticed the storm come in at 4 a.m. local time, and saw what looked to him like a waterspout, a type of tornado that forms above water.

The International Centre for Waterspout Research posted on X Aug. 19 that it had "confirmed 18 waterspouts today off the coasts of Italy. Some were powerful waterspouts, one of which may have been responsible for the sinking of a large yacht off of Sicily."

Borner said he didn't know why the Bayesian sank so quickly, guessing "it may have something to do with the mast, which was incredibly long." (A tall mast, even with its sails down, means there's more surface area exposed to wind, which can result in tipping.)

Confirming that one person was dead and six unaccounted for immediately following the wreck on Aug. 19, Salvo Cocina of Sicily's civil protection agency told reporters that a waterspout had struck the area overnight.

"They were in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said.

The 59-year-old founder of software firm Autonomy had been on the trip with his wife Angela Bacares and their 18-year-old, Oxford-bound daughter Hannah to celebrate his recent acquittal in the U.S. on fraud and conspiracy charges stemming from the $11.7 billion purchase of his company by Hewlett-Packard in 2011.

In a bizarre turn of events, Lynch's co-defendant at trial, Stephen Chamberlain, the former vice president of finance at Autonomy, died after being taken off life support following a road accident on Aug. 17. Chamberlain's attorney told Reuters Aug. 20 that his friend and client had been out for a run when he was "fatally struck" by a car.

Meanwhile, multiple people who contributed to Lynch's defense were on the cruise with him and his family.

The bodies of Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer—who testified on Lynch's behalf—and his wife Judy Bloomer, as well as lawyer Chris Morvillo, a partner at the U.S. firm Clifford Chance, and his wife Neda Morvillo, a jewelry designer, were recovered on Aug. 21 .

In a LinkedIn post thanking the team that successfully defended Lynch, Morvillo wrote, per Sky News , "And, finally, a huge thank you to my patient and incredible wife, Neda Morvillo, and my two strong, brilliant, and beautiful daughters, Sabrina Morvillo and Sophia Morvillo. None of this would have been possible without your love and support. I am so glad to be home. And they all lived happily ever after…"

The first casualty confirmed Aug. 19 was the ship's Canadian-Antiguan chef, later identified as Recaldo Thomas.

"He was a one-of-a-kind special human being," a friend of Thomas told The Independent . "Incredibly talented, contagious smile and laugh, an incredible voice with a deep love of the ocean and the moon. I spoke to him nearly every day. He loved his life his friends and his job."

Hannah's body was the last of the missing six to be found , with divers bringing her remains ashore on Aug. 23.

Lynch and Bacares, who was rescued, also shared a 21-year-old daughter, according to The Times.

While awaiting trial, Lynch—who maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings—had spent 13 months under house arrest in San Francisco. Back home in London afterward, he admitted to The Times in July that he'd been afraid of dying in prison if he'd been found guilty. (He faced a possible 25-year sentence.)

"It's bizarre, but now you have a second life," he reflected. "The question is, what do you want to do with it?"

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Who was onboard tech mogul Mike Lynch's Bayesian yacht?

Topic: Disasters, Accidents and Emergency Incidents

Six people are missing, including a man dubbed the British Bill Gates, after a luxury yacht sank off the Sicilian coast.

British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch — freshly acquitted from a decade-long trial — had invited his work colleagues aboard a trip through the Mediterranean coast when a freak storm saw the yacht sink within moments.

Fifteen people escaped from the sinking vessel. The search for the missing continues.

Here's what we know so far: 

What happened?

The Italian coastguard said the yacht — the Bayesian — was anchored off the shore of port city Porticello, near the Sicilian capital Palermo, when it was hit by bad weather sometime after 4am on Monday, local time. 

Eyewitnesses said it vanished quickly beneath the waves shortly before dawn.

Managers of the sailing vessel Bayesian, Camper & Nicholsons, confirmed to the ABC that the Bayesian encountered severe weather and subsequently sank. 

"Our priority is assisting with the ongoing search and providing all necessary support to the rescued passengers and crew," they said. 

"The wind was very strong. Bad weather was expected, but not of this magnitude," a coastguard official told Reuters.

Sicily's civil protection agency head, Salvo Cocina, said a waterspout — a tornado over the water — could have struck the yacht.

"They were in the wrong place at the wrong time," Mr Cocina added. 

Storms and heavy rainfall had swept down Italy in recent days after weeks of scorching heat, lifting the temperature of the Mediterranean Sea to record levels and raising the risk of extreme weather conditions, experts told Reuters.

"The sea surface temperature around Sicily was around 30 degrees Celsius, which is almost 3 degrees more than normal. This creates an enormous source of energy that contributes to these storms," meteorologist Luca Mercalli said.

Rescuers recover the body of one of the people aboard the Bayesian.  ( AP: Lucio Ganci )

Captain Karsten Borner of the Sir Robert Baden Powell vessel told journalists he noticed the Bayesian nearby during the storm, but after it calmed he saw a red flare and realised the ship had simply disappeared.

Mr Borner said he and a crew member boarded their tender and found a lifeboat with 15 people, some of them injured, who they then took aboard and alerted the coast guard.

Search crews, including helicopters and divers, are continuing to search the wreckage, lying at a depth of 49 metres.

Specialist divers reached the ship on Monday but access was limited due to objects in the way, the fire brigade said.

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch is deploying a team of four inspectors to Italy to conduct a preliminary assessment.

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development office said it was "providing consular support to a number of British nationals and their families".

Sicilian prosecutors have also opened an investigation into the event. 

Who is missing?

Lawyer Chris Morvillo (left), entrepreneur Mike Lynch, and Morgan Stanley chairman Jonathan Bloomer are among the missing. 

There were 12 passengers and 10 crew members aboard the yacht. 

Mr Cocina said the crew and passengers hailed from a variety of countries, including Britain, the United States, Antigua, France, Germany, Ireland, Myanmar, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain.

Of the 22, one man is confirmed dead and another six people are still missing. 

They are believed to be inside the hull, fire rescue spokesperson Luca Cari said.

Fabio Cefalù, a fisherman who said he responded to a flare from the vessel but found it sunk, said he stayed at the site for three hours without finding anyone.

"I think they are inside, all the missing people," he said.

Rescue teams recovered the body of the yacht's onboard chef on Monday, identified as Antiguan citizen Ricardo Thomas.

The still missing people include: 

• Mr Lynch's 18-year-old daughter, Hannah 
• Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of global financial services company Morgan Stanley International
• Chris Morvillo , a lawyer at the British multinational law firm Clifford Chance. He worked on Mr Lynch's lawsuit against Hewlett-Packard
• The identities of the remaining two missing are still unconfirmed

Who was rescued? 

Fifteen people escaped from the sinking ship. 

Eight have been hospitalised and others were taken to a nearby hotel.

Charlotte Golunski was among those rescued, recalling the harrowing moments she held her child Sofia above the waves.  ( Supplied: Facebook  )

Among those rescued were:

• Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, who was the owner of the yacht
• Charlotte Golunski and her one-year-old daughter, Sofia. Ms Golunski is a partner at Mr Lynch's firm, Invoke Capital. She says she momentarily lost hold of Sofia in the water but managed to hold her up above the waves until the lifeboat was inflated
• Ms Golunski's husband James Emslie
• New Zealand captain of the yacht James Catfield. He told Italian newspaper La Repubblica the crew didn't see the storm coming
• A lone Dutch citizen was identified by the Dutch foreign ministry as being rescued, but was not identified

Who is Mike Lynch?

Mr Lynch, once hailed as Britain’s king of technology, was recently freed from a Silicon Valley lawsuit that tarnished his legacy. 

The 59-year-old Cambridge-educated mathematician created Autonomy , a search engine that could pore through emails and other internal business documents to help companies find vital information more quickly. 

He received the OBE for his innovation in 2006. 

He then sold the software to Hewlett-Packard (HP) for $US11 billion ($16 billion) in 2011, with Mr Lynch personally netting $US800 million. 

HP valued Autonomy at $US46 billion ($68 billion) in the months leading up to the deal.

Mike Lynch in 2019 leaving the High Court in London.  ( Reuters: Henry Nicholls/File Photo )

But the deal quickly turned sour after he was accused of forging the software's financial records to make the sale.

As part of a decades-long legal battle against HP, Mr Lynch was extradited to the UK on criminal fraud charges. 

He steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he was being made a scapegoat for HP's own bungling. 

He was eventually cleared of all charges in June this year. 

Although he avoided a possible prison sentence, Lynch still faced a bill from a civil case in London that HP mostly won during 2022. Damages haven't been determined in that case, but HP is seeking $US4 billion. 

Following the San Francisco trial, Mr Lynch said he would return to the UK and do what he loved most: "[being with] my family and innovating in my field."

The holiday appeared to be something of a celebration after Mr Lynch's acquittal, with guests including some of the people who had stood by Lynch throughout the ordeal.

This picture shows the rescue operations off the Sicilian coast.  ( AP: Italian Coast Guard  )

In a separate act of tragedy, Mr Lynch's co-defendant in the trial, Stephen Chamberlain, died on Monday, after a road accident left him critically injured.

Mr Chamberlain — Autonomy's former vice-president of finance alongside Mr Lynch — was hit by a car in Cambridgeshire on Saturday morning and had been placed on life support. 

What is the Bayesian?

The luxury yacht is 56m long sailboat, with a 75m mast labelled as the tallest aluminium mast in the world.

It was previously named Salute when it flew under a Dutch flag.

The yacht, built in 2008 by the Italian firm Perini Navi, can accommodate up to 12 guests in six suites and a crew of 10, according to online specialist yacht sites. It was last refitted in 2020.

Online charter sites listed it for rent for up to 195,000 euros (about $AU 321,000) a week. 

This picture taken on Sunday shows the Bayesian (left) and the Duch sailboat Sir Robert Baden Powell anchored off the coast line.   ( AP: Fabio La Bianca/Baia Santa Nicolicchia )

The ship also won a string of awards for its design. 

Ms Golunski said the yacht had travelled through the Aeolian Islands, Milazzo and Cefalù before sinking. 

It is likely the yacht's name would resonate with Mr Lynch because his PhD thesis and the software that made his fortune was based on Bayesian theory.

Who was on superyacht that sank off Sicily?

Twenty-two people were on board the Bayesian superyacht including British technology tycoon Mike Lynch, his wife and 18-year-old daughter, and Morgan Stanley International boss Jonathan Bloomer.

Friday 23 August 2024 12:34, UK

Details have emerged of the 22 people who were on board the superyacht that sank off the coast of Sicily.

The British-flagged vessel named Bayesian was carrying 12 passengers and 10 members of crew when it got into difficulty in the early hours of Monday.

Seven bodies have now been recovered. The other 15 people on board were rescued.

Here's what we know about those who were on the yacht.

Follow latest updates on the superyacht sinking

British technology tycoon Mike Lynch was among the original six people missing. On Thursday, divers confirmed his body had been recovered.

Raised in Ilford, east London by Irish parents, the 59-year-old made millions with the software company Autonomy he set up in 1996.

He had an estimated net worth of £852m, according to the 2023 Sunday Times Rich List, and is believed to have owned the yacht.

Off the back of Automomy's global success, Mr Lynch was given the roles of science adviser to former prime minister David Cameron and non-executive director of the BBC.

The Cambridge maths and sciences graduate sold the firm for £8.64bn to US giant Hewlett Packard (HP) in 2011.

Dubbed the "British Bill Gates", Mr Lynch has been in the headlines in recent months over a high-profile fraud case related to the sale of Autonomy to HP in 2011.

HP accused him of deliberately overstating the value of the company before it was acquired by the American technology firm. Mr Lynch denied any wrongdoing.

In June, a US jury cleared him of all charges .

Read more: Lynch's co-defendant dies days before yacht disaster

Hannah Lynch

Mr Lynch's 18-year-old daughter Hannah Lynch was also on board. A body believed to be that of the teenager was recovered on Friday from the yacht wreckage.

She had been on holiday with her parents, having secured a place to study English at the University of Oxford, according to reports.

Her former school, Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith, west London, said they were "incredibly shocked by the news that Hannah and her father are among those missing in this tragic accident" when the yacht first sank.

Angela Bacares

Mr Lynch's wife Angela Bacares was on board the yacht and was rescued.

The 57-year-old said she and Mr Lynch were awoken by the boat "tilting" at 4am - half an hour before it sank.

Jonathan Bloomer

Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of investment bank Morgan Stanley International, was confirmed dead on Thursday.

According to the Financial Times, Mr Bloomer appeared as a defence witness for Mr Lynch during his US criminal trial and the pair were good friends. He also chaired Autonomy's audit committee.

The 70-year-old was the chief executive of UK-Hong Kong insurer Prudential until he was ousted by the board in 2005.

He was also chairman of the insurance provider Hiscox.

Judy Bloomer

Mr Bloomer's wife Judy was on the yacht trip with her husband. Divers confirmed they found her body on Thursday.

Mrs Bloomer was a former board member at The Eve Appeal charity, which focuses on gynaecological cancers.

The charity described her as a "brilliant champion for women's health and medical research... an incredible supporter, committee member, and trustee of our charity for over 20 years".

Read more: 'Alarming' potential cause of superyacht disaster What we know about superyacht that sank

Recaldo Thomas

The yacht's on-board chef Recaldo Thomas died in the sinking.

He was Canadian-Antiguan and part of the crew of the Bayesian.

His body was the first to be recovered from the wreckage.

Chris Morvillo

US lawyer Chris Morvillo was among those divers found dead on Thursday.

The father-of-two worked on Mr Lynch's US fraud trial and was a partner of law firm Clifford Chance's US branch.

Mr Morvillo was assistant attorney for the Southern District of New York between 1995 and 2005 and worked on the terrorist investigation into the 9/11 attacks.

In a recent LinkedIn post, he thanked the legal team that helped win Mr Lynch's trial.

Signing off the post, he said: "And, finally, a huge thank you to my patient and incredible wife, Neda Morvillo, and my two strong, brilliant, and beautiful daughters, Sabrina Morvillo and Sophia Morvillo.

"None of this would have been possible without your love and support. I am so glad to be home. And they all lived happily ever after…."

Neda Morvillo

Mr Morvillo's wife Neda died in the disaster alongside her husband.

The 57-year-old had a luxury jewellery brand, which she ran under her maiden name Neda Nassiri.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Ayla Ronald

Ayla Ronald, a senior associate at Clifford Chance, survived the yacht disaster, the law firm confirmed.

The 36-year-old worked alongside Chris Morvillo in helping defend Mike Lynch in court.

Clifford Chance said in a statement: "Our utmost priority is providing support to the family as well as our colleague Ayla Ronald, who together with her partner, thankfully survived the incident."

She is originally from Christchurch, New Zealand, but lives in London, her father told local media there.

He said she was left "very shaken" but "she and her partner are alive".

Charlotte Golunski

Charlotte Golunski was on board the yacht and was rescued along with her one-year-old daughter, Sofia.

She spoke to Italian newspaper La Repubblica, confirming she survived the yacht sinking and told how she kept her daughter alive after she was rescued.

"I held her afloat with all my strength, my arms stretched upwards to keep her from drowning," she said.

"It was all dark. In the water I couldn't keep my eyes open. I screamed for help but all I could hear around me was the screams of others."

The 35-year-old is a partner at one of Mr Lynch's firms - Invoke Capital - and has worked there since 2012, according to her LinkedIn profile.

She also worked at Hewlett Packard, which acquired Autonomy in 2011, for 11 months.

Before that, she studied history at the University of Oxford.

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James Emsley

Ms Golunski's partner James Emsley was also rescued from the yacht, according to Sicily's civil protection agency.

The 36-year-old is the father of her one-year-old daughter.

James Cutfield

The 51-year-old captain of the yacht spoke to Italian newspaper La Repubblica after he was rescued.

Mr Cutfield, from New Zealand, was taken for treatment at the Termini Imerese emergency unit, where he told the newspaper: "We didn't see it coming."

Leah Randall

Leah Randall was part of the Bayesian crew and survived the sinking.

She was pictured going ashore in Porticello on Monday morning and is from South Africa.

Her mother Heidi told Sky News said she was "beyond relieved that my daughter's life was spared by the grace of God".

"It doesn't make it any easier living with the heartache of those who have lost their lives [or are] missing. My very deepest condolences to the chef's family as they formed a great friendship," she said.

Katja Chicken

Katja Chicken was another South African member of crew on board the Bayesian and was pictured being brought to safety in Porticello on Monday.

The Italian coastguard confirmed on Tuesday evening that Leo Eppel, a crew member, also survived the yacht sinking.

Related Topics

• Superyacht sinking

Body Found in Search For Mike Lynch’s Teenage Daughter Hannah After Yacht Sinks

O n Friday morning, divers located the final missing body after a five-day search effort to find the six passengers reported missing after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Italy on Monday morning, bringing the official death toll of the incident to seven. Hannah Lynch— the 18-year-old daughter of British tycoon Mike Lynch —was the only body unaccounted for when the search resumed this morning. Now, efforts to recover the final missing body are “ in progress .” The body of tech tycoon Mike was recovered on Thursday. His wife, Angela Bacares, survived the yacht-sinking incident. The Bayesian yacht was the Lynch family boat, a source close to the matter told TIME. The yacht’s ownership is tied to Bacares .

Bodies were previously found in the search for the other missing passengers : Morgan Stanley chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy Bloomer. Along with lawyer Christopher Morvillo and his wife, Neda Morvillo. They were guests of the Lynch family. One body recovered from the scene on Monday, the day the yacht sank, has since been identified as yacht chef Recaldo Thomas . 

TIME has reached out to the Sicilian civil protection agency and the Italian Coast Guard for further information. 

The accident occurred during a storm on Monday, Aug. 20. The yacht had 22 people aboard—15 of whom were successfully rescued and survived the incident. The youngest passenger was a 1-year-old child, who was rescued alongside her mother.

The Italian Coast Guard told TIME in a statement on Aug. 20 that a 56-m yacht named Bayesian that was flying the U.K. flag sank around 5 a.m. local time following a violent storm.

Italian media reported that the yacht was struck by a waterspout, a miniature version of a tornado, during the storm, causing the boat to capsize. Waterspouts are most common in Italy in the late summer, and rising sea temperatures due to climate change could be making them even more common, according to the BBC . 

Specialist divers have spent the last five days inspecting the shipwreck for bodies, which is located at a depth of approximately 160 feet. The public prosecutor in the Italian city of Termini Imerese has reportedly opened an investigation into the incident.

The yacht was built in 2008 by the Italian shipmaker Perini, according to the website Yacht Charter Fleet . It was designed to carry up to 12 passengers and 10 crew members. The vessel was capable of reaching speeds of up to 15 knots and comfortably cruising at speeds of 12 knots. The ship had set sail from the Italian port of Milazzo on Aug. 14 and was headed toward another Sicilian port called Bagheria, where it was expected to arrive on Sep. 18 according to the website Vessel Finder .

In June, Mike was found not-guilty of fraud after a nearly 13-year-long saga where he faced the possibility of up to 25 years in prison. Mike, who sold his company Autonomy to Hewlett Packard (HP) for $11.1 billion in 2011, was accused of serious accounting improprieties by HP after the acquisition. HP executives went on to write down $8.8 billion of the company’s value and accused Mike of fraud. Mike faced legal battles for over a decade before being acquitted by a California jury in June. His co-defendant, Steve Chamberlain, who was also acquitted in June, was killed after being hit by a car while jogging on Saturday Aug. 17.

“I am looking forward to returning to the U.K. and getting back to what I love most: my family and innovating in my field,” Mike had said when he was acquitted earlier this summer, per the Guardian . 

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Bayesian superyacht shipwreck: Italian prosecutors confirm manslaughter investigation

Italian officials have announced a manslaughter investigation into the sinking of super yacht Bayesian off the Sicilian coast.

Italian prosecutors have opened a manslaughter investigation into the sinking of superyacht Bayesian off the coast of Sicily that claimed seven lives.

During a press conference with local and international media tonight (NZ time), senior prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio said: “A case has been opened hypothesising the crime of shipwreck and manslaughter but we are only at the initial stage of the inquiries so far, so I am going to confine myself to only giving you that information.”

New Zealand citizen James Cutfield, 51, was captain of the Bayesian when it sank off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo during a storm.

Cutfield told Italian media of the abrupt nature of the water spout that made a death trap out of the superyacht.

“We just didn’t see it coming,” he said.

Also aboard the yacht were Kiwi Ayla Ronald, 36, a senior associate for Clifford Chance in London , and her partner Matthew Fletcher. They were among the 15 people who were rescued.

Cartosio said the development of that inquiry could be of “any sort imaginable”.

“It was absolutely indispensable to make that press conference given the interest of the world press in those who died,” he said.

Cartosio said the yacht had already sunk by the time rescue forces arrived.

He described the incident as “grave tragedy” and to “reduce the dimensions of the tragedy” they called a “big operation of firefighters and firefighting divers who have shown incredible courage and skill” who carried out a very difficult mission indeed and have allowed us to inspect properly the wreck for bodies.

The local fire chief said 123 dives were taken by coastguard during the operation and could only stay for 12 minutes maximum under the water.

“It was an intense bout of work as you can imagine and very stressful, nevertheless in four days, the results we achieved do not require any further explanation,” he said.

“We managed to bring up all six bodies, we were operating at 50 metres depth and there was very little visibility due to the weather conditions but we achieved our aims.

“My colleagues have shown incredible professionalism.”

The fire chief told the press conference five bodies were found in one cabin.

“The yacht tended to the right and obviously the bodies tried to go to the other side and take refuge in their cabins.

“We found five bodies in a cabin on the left and another one in the third cabin on the left. They were in the higher part of the shipwreck.”

The latest development comes as the body of Hannah Lynch, the 18-year-old daughter of tech billionaire Mike Lynch was recovered from the wreckage , the Italian coastguard told The Telegraph .

Cutfield’s brother Mark told the Herald that his sibling was a “very good sailor” and was “very well respected” in the Mediterranean.

He confirmed his brother initially went to the hospital but did not suffer from injuries “too dramatic”.

“He’s safe, he’s okay.”

The Bayesian was built by Italian shipbuilder Perini in 2008 and was last refitted in 2020, and was managed by yachting company Camper & Nicholsons.

It won a string of awards for its design and can accommodate up to 12 guests in six suites and a crew of 10, according to online specialist yacht sites.

Formerly known as Salute, or health in Italian, its 75m mast is the tallest aluminium mast in the world, Perini said on its website.

The boat left the Sicilian port of Milazzo on August 14 and was last tracked east of Palermo on Sunday evening, August 19, with a navigation status of “at anchor”, according to vessel tracking app Vesselfinder.

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5th body recovered from Mike Lynch's family yacht off Sicily as questions mount over luxury vessel's sinking

By Anna Matranga

Updated on: August 22, 2024 / 10:48 AM EDT / CBS News

Rome — Divers recovered the body of a fifth victim of the Bayesian superyacht wreck Thursday morning, Sicily Civil Protection Chief Salvo Cocina confirmed to CBS News, and the Reuters news agency cited Italian Interior Ministry official Massimo Mariani as saying it was the body of Mike Lynch, the British tech magnate whose wife owned the vessel.

Italian Coast Guard spokesperson Vincenzo Zagarola told CBS News that teams were still working to recover the body of the sixth and final person left missing when the boat went down. The six bodies had remained stuck inside the 184-foot luxury yacht for days after it sank early Monday morning off the coast of Palermo, Sicily in a severe thunderstorm.

Four bodies were retrieved Wednesday from the Bayesian, which was resting on the seafloor at a 90 degree angle at a depth of over 160 feet. The vessel's position and items that moved around inside the ill-fated yacht made recovery efforts slow and hazardous.

Italian authorities have not officially identified the remains recovered from the Bayesian, which belonged to Lynch's wife Angela Bacares. She was among the 15 people who managed to escape from the boat as it sank quickly on Monday morning, but Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among those left missing.

Another victim, the Bayesian superyacht's chef, was found dead soon after the boat capsized. 

Along with Lynch and his daughter, the technology mogul's American lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda, and British banker Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, were believed to have been trapped in the yacht when it sank.

Questions as to how the state-of-the-art boat could have gone down so quickly have mounted steadily since the accident. 

Italian media were reporting Thursday that, after questioning survivors and witnesses, Italian prosecutors had opened an official investigation into a possible "culpable shipwreck." No individuals had been named as potential suspects.

On Thursday, Giovanni Costantino, head of the Italian Sea Group, which owns the company Perini Navi, which built the Bayesian in 2008, blamed human error.

"A Perini ship resisted Hurricane Katrina, a Category 5 [hurricane]. Does it seem to you that it can't resist a tornado from here?" he remarked to the newspaper Corriere della Sera. "It is good practice when the ship is at anchor to have a guard on the bridge, and if there was one he could not have failed to see the storm coming. Instead, it took on water with the guests still in the cabin. ... They ended up in a trap, those poor people ended up like mice."

One possible factor could have been that the ship's keel — a fin-like structure that sticks out from the bottom of the boat, designed to provide stability and counterweight to the huge mast — was not fully deployed. The yacht had a retractable keel that could be raised for entry into shallow harbors. But a raised keel at sea would have made the ship much more vulnerable to instability in the strong winds that struck early Monday morning.

When asked whether divers had seen the ship's keel in a raised position, a spokesman for the Italian Coast Guard told CBS News that only the prosecutor investigating the incident could confirm such information but that the Coast Guard "was not denying" it. 

The ship's captain, 51-year-old New Zealand national James Cutfileld, was questioned for two hours by prosecutors on Thursday, according to Italian media.

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