two oceans yachts

Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran

The Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran is an elegantly simple, luxury, 55 foot custom power catamaran with an eye catching and aesthetically pleasing exterior styling and a chic, modern, low maintenance interior. The Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran has the space and luxury that one would generally expect from a much larger vessel.

She is designed by world-class yacht designer Du Toit Yacht Design . Du Toit Yacht Design have extensive experience in the design of luxurious custom power catamarans. The Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran has been designed as a luxurious on-the-water home, able to cruise the world in safety and comfort. Careful attention has been paid to styling, comfort, performance and ergonomics in her design. The Two Oceans 555 is designed to be comfortable and ergonomically friendly in every way. Interior design specialists work with the customer to create the perfect layout and design, customized completely to the customers’ tastes and requirements.

The Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran is the space of a much larger vessel. She can sleep eight people and is modern, low-maintenance and luxurious.  The Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran has three interior styling themes that owners can choose from: Island Style, New Traditions Style or Miami Beach Style.

Of the three general arrangement options that are available to choose from, one of the options boasts an on-deck master stateroom on the main-deck level – a feature not seen on catamarans of her size.

The Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran has exceptional sea keeping characteristics, namely: a resin infused, light weight construction, high bridge deck clearance, highly effective and proven semi displacement, symmetrical hull design, a soft smooth level ride, a prop tunnel, a shallow draft, generous spray knuckle, excellent performance  and efficiency with small motors  and a sacrificial, low drag keel.

When sitting at the helm on the flybridge, the Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran has a clear 360-degree view.

The Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran has three General Arrangement Options:

On deck Master with 4 staterooms: Full walk-around on deck master stateroom with King bed. Option of a sliding main bulkhead to open the master stateroom to the entire main deck living area, creating a large open plan area. This will appeal to cruising couples that primarily cruise alone or live aboard.

Open plan main deck with 3 or 4 staterooms: The open plan main deck offers a fully customizable area forward of the salon/galley area. Options include an inside helm station, U shaped dining, comfortable lounging sofa, wet bar, large cabinet with storage for cutlery and crockery and buffet counter. The open plan main-deck is expansive, measuring 25’ from salon door to the forward windscreen.

Master in starboard hull – 3 staterooms: Three staterooms on lower deck level. Master in starboard hull with King bed, sofa, large en-suite bathroom, shower, twin basins, vanity, separate head, and washer & dryer. Two guest cabins in the port hull. This layout will appeal to buyers not needing four cabins but prefer an open plan main deck and a larger master stateroom.

Standard layout

4 Staterooms, 4 heads, Master on main deck

Principal dimensions:

LOA: 55ft 6in/16.9 m

LOA: Including Platform Lift 57ft 7in/17.6 m

LWL: 53FT 6IN / 16.3 m

BEAM: 25ft/7.6 m

DRAFT (APPROX.): 3ft 6in/1.35 m

DISPLACEMENT – LIGHT SHIP (ESTIMATE): 49,600 lbs./22,500 kg

WATER: 200 US Gal/760 lt

FUEL (APPROX.): 750 US Gal/2,600 lt

PROPULSION: Yanmar 370hp 8LV Diesels

Standard Specifications

Construction, manufacturing materials.

• Hulls, decks, and coach roof are constructed from composite with a gel coated outer layer, Vinylester barrier coat for underwater protection and polyester resin combined with a high-performance E-Glass laminate PVC foam core
• Interior joinery work and floorboards are all cored panels to provide stiffness at low weight. All exterior surfaces are gel coated and or sprayed & painted with gloss coat. Interior and below deck surfaces will be painted with Marine Flo Coat
• One-piece hull lamination
• High-density foam cored construction using vacuum bag technology
• Carbon fibre reinforced structural components
• Protective Keels Bonded to hulls
• 2 Composite rudders using high-lift laminar flow foil section mounted with solid 2205 stainless-steel shafts running in Jefa bearings.
• Humphree electrically actuated trim tab on each hull

Exterior Finish

• The entire above water line exterior of the boat is gel coated/spray-painted, standard colour white with two tone top sides and super structure
• Walking areas to be non-skid finished, standard colour white, contrasting color option available
• Epoxy barrier coat, primer coat, and anti-fouling paint factory applied, color of choice. 4″ boot stripe

Interior Finish

• The interior will be finished in accordance with client’s choice from one of the three available factory options
• Custom carpentry and high quality marine hardware
• All interior flooring is lightweight and durable
• Headliner detail throughout all interior accommodations

Standard layout and Equipment

• Saloon to have plush fabric seating and table or ottoman, as per General Arrangement
• Access stairs to lower hull cabin areas port and starboard
• 50″ Samsung LED Television on power lift with Samsung audio system
• Custom Aluminum sliding aft door with flush deck transition between aft deck and saloon
• Storage unit for bottles and glassware’s
• Acrylic counter tops
• Island with storage and television lift
• FRP modules for galley cupboards and counters
• 4 burner cook top – option of either electric or propane
• Power ventilation above cooktop
• Convection microwave oven
• Refrigerator/freezer
• Cutlery and crockery drawers
• Pot drawer & spice drawers
• Double sinks with garbage disposal
• Under counter trash drawer
• Custom accent wood carpentry

Aft main deck

• Seating arrangement – various options to suite clients needs
• (4”) thick EZ- Dry foam cockpit cushions covered in Sunbrella
• Cockpit table with wooden top
• Storage cabinets and full height locker
• Stairs to Flybridge
• Engine access hatches
• Access doors

Forward lounge

• Custom door opening into Saloon/ Master cabin area
• U shaped seating – storage within
• Composite table on fixed base
• Access to windlass
• 4″ Ez-Dry foam with Sunbrella covering

Fly bridge Helm Station and Seating

• Helm Station with console
• Glass Windscreen with wiper and washer
• Engine instrument panels, gear shift/throttle control and cruising instruments located within easy reach of the wheel position
• Plastimo Offshore 115 compasses located at helm position
• Double Bench Seat at Helm
• Stainless steel steering wheel
• Emergency tiller
• Steering system with power assist
• Storage lockers
• Flybridge wet bar unit with sink and drinks fridge
• Flybridge seating and table as per general arrangement
• Door leading to fwd. sun lounge area with 4” EZ-Dry foam cushions and Sunbrella fabrics
• Fresh water outlet to flush tender
• Custom aluminum swim ladder on starboard hull
• Starboard side transom; shower with pressurized fresh water hot and cold
• Access to the emergency tiller (Port & Starboard)
• Access doors to storage areas for dive and fishing gear

Master Stateroom on main deck

• FRP modules
• Custom carpentry
• King size bed, walk around
• Reading lights and cabin lights
• Nightstands with light switches and outlets
• Headliner with recessed led lights
• Dressing area with full height closets
• Port lights for ventilation inset into large hull-side windows
• Blind over large window
• Door forward leading to seating and lounging area
• Access to Master Head is via stairway into hull
• Tecma/Planus freshwater toilet
• Separate shower cubicle
• Double basins

All guest cabins

• Soft furnishings
• Custom wood accent carpentry
• Reading lights, cabin lights
• Opening port light in hull side
• Fabric headliner with recessed led lights
• En-suite bathroom with separate walk-in shower, head, and basin
• Deck hatch in forward cabins only
• Tecma/Planus freshwater toilets
• Separate Shower cubicle

Technical Equipment

The mechanical and systems hardware is distributed in the boat so as to concentrate weight as low as possible and to balance the vessel whilst allowing for easy access to hardware for inspection and maintenance.  The main engines are in their own dedicated compartments aft between the aftermost bulkhead and the transom.

• 2 Yanmar 8LV 370 hp diesel motors coupled to KMH52V gearboxes, Temmet 25 shafts and fixed propellers with flex couplings
• Yanmar standard electronic engine controls and instrumentation panels at helm console
• 24v high amp alternators to charge house bank
• Water locks and exhaust system to keep noise levels as low as possible
• Dual Racor fuel filters for each motor
• Fireport in each engine room
• 1 Ceiling light in each engine room
• Grey paint finish below waterline on the interior of the boat and service areas
• Sound seal for both engine compartments
• Main Engine Delta T ventilation system: via remote operated fans and fire shut off system
• Sea Fire system to both engine room spaces
• Power assisted hydraulic steering system with emergency override
• 1x Onan 17kw 60HZ Generator with sound shield and Underwater Exhaust

Bow thruster

• Bow thruster with integral tube
• 1 x 200 gal water tank with deck fill and vent, tank level display gauge on electric panel.
• 2 x freshwater pumps with accumulator tanks
• Plumbing piping and fittings to be John Guest Speedfit®
• 2 x 60L Vetus black water holding tanks with gauge, buzzer, and visual alarm
• Black tank pump out for at sea or by deck drain for shore side pumping; breathers to have coal filters
• Tecma/Planus silent electric freshwater toilets in each hull, as per layouts
• Fresh water outlet for anchor/deck wash down
• Cold water outlets at transom – salt and fresh
• 4 x Rule bilge pumps 1300GPH with mechanical float switches and auto/man alarms
• 2 x Whale bilge pump Titan BP4410 manual bilge pump; located in cockpit for emergency pumping

Electric System

• Service voltages: 24 VDC and 110V 60Hz.
• Service Batteries – 400a/h @ 24V capacity
• Engine Start Batteries – 90a/h capacity, 2 x 12 Volt 90a/h
• Main electrical distribution panels 12V,24V and 110V
• One custom made electrical control and display panel
• All service areas: LED service lights, switched at main panel
• Mastervolt 3500w inverter charger
• 100-amp charger only
• 8x 400w solar panels on Flybridge hard top
• Mastervolt easy view battery management system
• 110v plugs in all accommodation spaces, saloon, galley and flybridge
• USB points in all accommodation spaces
• Air Conditioning system to all cabins and saloon/galley
• 60 ft. 50 Amp Shore power cable
• All Lighting LED Marine grade
• LED lighting to heads and below deck accommodation spaces
• LED low level lighting in cabins, saloon, cockpit and Flybridge
• 2 x LED aft deck spotlights
• Courtesy lights (blue)
• Aft deck transom steps x 1 on each step
• Courtesy LED light on each step on port and starboard hull companionway
• Service area – Dura LED, white (switched from main panel, 1 switch):
• 1 in each engine room

Navigation Lights

• All navigation lights LED (port, stbd, anchor and stern)
• 1 Seat on each pulpit
• Handrails on transom coaming and aft cockpit as per General arrangement
• Stainless steel stanchions 28” high, on outer bulwark
• Stainless steel guard rails with wire intermediate
• 9 Alloy mooring cleats – Goiot 340mm, 4 port, 4 starboard, 1 at anchor locker
• 2 Goiot 260mm cleat at stern
• Access to storage areas in port and stbd forward hulls through Lewmar or equivalent size 70 deck hatch

Anchor Handling

• Anchor windlass; Maxwell, part no. HRC10 non-capstan version; with foot switches on the foredeck and remote switch on flybridge helm
• Custom self-launching bow roller
• Self-bailing lockers for self-stowing chain and rope
• 1 Ø24 mm nylon bridle fitted to stainless pad eyes on inboard hull sides
• Fresh Water Wash-down

Ground Tackle

• Primary anchor, Delta Type on 50m (164’) of 10mm (3/8”) G4 chain and 50m of Rode

Hull and Deck Ventilation

• All port lights and hatches to have blinds
• Port lights and hatches for light and ventilation (standard layout)
• Hull Portholes
• Port Hull Side: Lewmar, Flush Mitre Port light, Size 3, x2
• Starboard Hull Side: Lewmar, Flush Mitre Port light, Size 3, x2
• Deck Hatches: Lewmar, Medium profile, Size 60, x4

Navigation and Instrumentation System

• 2x Garmin gpsmap 8616 16” chart plotter with GPS antenna
• Garmin Auto pilot with version 2 smart pump
• Garmin 4’open Array GMR Phantom 54 radar:
• 1 kw Airmar B175 Depth transducer
• VHF 215 AIS on Flybridge
• Fusion Sound system with 3 zones, 4 speakers to saloon, 2 to cockpit and 2 to fly bridge.
• 1x Garmin camera in each engine room and 1x camera on aft deck bulkhead with view of cockpit

Additional options

Vessel layout upgrade options.

• Open plan main deck with helm station and wet bar. 4 Staterooms and 4 heads on lower deck (See layout options)
• Open plan main deck with helm station and wet bar. 3 Staterooms and 3 heads on lower deck, master stateroom starboard on owner’s version (See layout options)

Optional interior upgrade

• 4 x blue underwater lights

Optional galley upgrade

• Dishwasher -Fisher &Paykel DD2SAX9N
• Splendide 110v washing machine
• Splendide Dryer 110V
• Wine cooler GE Deluxe wine center 110V
• Ice maker – GE 15 Inch Nugget Ice maker

Optional Flybridge upgrade

• Dual Stidd Flybridge helm chair upgrade
• Ice maker – Vitrifrigo 115v
• Kenyon electric barbeque
• Propane BBQ
• Air conditioning

General optional upgrades

• Retractable shore power lead Glendinning cable master 50A 75ft cable
• Remote motorized SPOTLIGHT on mast
• Flood lights: Hella Marine 2X Aft deck and 2X Flybridge
• Additional transom ladder and shower

Optional davit and transom platform upgrades

• Steelhead E1000 davit on upper deck
• Tender lift on lower deck with custom platform

Engine upgrade options

• 2 x Cummins QSB6.7 550 HP diesel motors coupled to KMH52 gearboxes, Temmet 25 shafts and fixed propellers with flex couplings
• Cummins standard electronic engine controls and instrumentation panels at helm console
• 24v high amp alternators to charge house bank on each motor
• Main Engine ventilation system: via remote operated fans and fire shut off system
• 1 x Onan 19kw MDKDV Generator with sound shield, waterlock and dry exhaust:

Watermaker options

• Sea Recovery Aqua Matic
• Spectra Newport 1000 110V 111lt/Hr watermaker
• Spectra Newport 400 24V 54lt/Hr watermaker

Instrument upgrade options – all instrument upgrades are priced on request

• KVH TracVision TV5
• AIS send and Receive
• sounder module
• Other instrument requests to be discussed with Sales agent
• Wind Speed and direction/Barometer
• Flir Camera

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Two Oceans 555 Reviewed

• By Chris Caswell
• January 12, 2024

Dave Jirikovic of HMY Yachts was on a quest. The sales broker was looking for the meanest, nastiest patch of Gulf Stream he could find to show a potential client what the Two Oceans 555 power cat could handle.

“There,” he said, pointing ahead. “A series of solid 4-footers.” The Gulf Stream was roiled from several days of 20-plus-knot northern winds running against the northbound current.

And just as he had intended to show us, the broad-shouldered power cat didn’t even notice. He even dropped the single-lever throttles back to idle and left the 25-foot-wide Two Oceans 555 beam-on to another set of square-edged seas. The 55-footer brushed that off too. Jirikovic tried quartering into the seas—never a happy angle for catamarans—and the yacht drowsed through them.

Stability was among many characteristics that left me impressed with the Two Oceans 555, the company’s first offering in the United States. The builder was founded in 1989 and constructs its boats in Cape Town, South Africa, with power and sail models from 23 to 160 feet length overall. Two Oceans also builds offshore rescue craft, which explains some of the other characteristics I saw after taking a turn at the helm of the Two Oceans 555.

For instance, I was startled to learn that this power cat gets about 1 nautical mile per gallon at 10 knots. With 750 gallons of fuel, that’s a lot farther than most yachtsmen will ever want to run in a single hop.

This cat also has speed—topping out at more than 27 knots—with twin 550 hp Cummins QSB6.7L diesels. The vessel’s performance and seaworthiness are a tribute to the twin slippery hulls designed by Du Toit Yacht Design of South Africa. Using tunnels tightly fitted to the props for maximum power, and with low-drag sacrificial keels, the 555 has just a 3-foot-6-inch draft.

Construction is solid with a vinylester barrier coat underwater and PVC foam core, all vacuum-bagged for strength and reinforced with carbon fiber in high-load areas.

Effort has clearly been spent on soundproofing; my decibel meter barely nudged 82 dB(A) at 26.5 knots in the salon. Thanks to the boat’s underwater side-mounted exhausts, the bridge sound was even quieter: 79 decibels at 23 knots.

The thing I liked most about the Two Oceans 555 is that it is essentially a blank canvas. This particular boat had a layout I liked: an on-deck master stateroom separated from the salon by sliding doors. The master has 180 degrees of 27-inch-high windows for a panoramic view from the walk-around island berth. The en suite head is in the port hull with twin sinks, a 3-by-4-foot shower stall and a tilt-up vanity.

Guest staterooms included an athwartships space forward in the starboard hull with a larger-than-queen berth, and another stateroom aft with a queen berth. The opposite hull had a third guest stateroom with twin berths.

This yacht’s salon had a dinette to port opposite a galley large enough to accommodate several chefs. All the usual amenities—from US manufacturers for easy service—included a stand-up two-door fridge with a drawer, a microwave, a five-burner cooktop, an ice maker, a trash compactor and a dishwasher. What was more interesting was the size of the L-shaped Corian countertop: The L was a few inches shy of 8 feet, while the fore-and-aft counter was more than 11 feet long.

The salon opens up to the cockpit, which, on this 555, had a settee with a dining table. The back is double-sided so people could sit facing aft, either to watch the launching or retrieval of a tender with the hydraulic platform or just to enjoy a sunset. There’s also a U-shaped recessed dinette with wraparound seating on the foredeck.

That leaves the flybridge, whose open aft deck was 9 feet by 28 feet for sun lounges, chaises or personal watercraft to be launched via the optional crane. A wraparound dinette to port faced a grill, a fridge, an ice maker and a sink.

The helm is forward, abaft a full-height windscreen. There’s a double-wide Stidd seat, and either two or three Garmin multifunction displays. Future boats are likely to have the engine monitors and switches in an overhead, aircraft-style panel on the hardtop, but there was room for the skipper to make good use of the standard Side-Power bow thruster (a stern thruster is optional).

This power cat had the optional Off-Grid package, using twin 9 kW Integrel Solutions generators coupled to the prop shafts with flex power takeoffs. Combined with the solar panels forward of the flybridge helm, this arrangement feeds a bank of Victron Energy lithium-phosphate batteries totaling 26,000 watts, providing more than 19 hours of silent running time for all air-conditioning, ship and galley needs.

The Two Oceans 555 power catamaran has the interior and exterior real estate of a monohull nearly double its size. It offers a smooth ride in rough water, has accommodations for the largest of cruising families, and uses solar power to cruise anywhere a yachtsman desires. All of this, combined with the ability to heavily personalize the yacht, makes the Two Oceans 555 a strong offering in the power-cat marketplace.  

Wealth of Experience

Du Toit Yacht Design may not yet be a household name in the United States, but it is the leading catamaran design firm in South Africa, with several sizes of Two Oceans power cats and Balance sailing catamarans, and more than 120 production and custom yacht designs.

Victron Energy is a Dutch producer of electrical equipment for marine and industrial needs, energy storage and solar energy access. Each Victron lithium-phosphate battery has its own battery-management system.

The Battery Basics

The builder says that when it comes to recharging, the yacht’s lithium-phosphate batteries can ramp back up to 85 percent power in just 60 minutes when the main engines are running. 

Efficient Engines

The Cummins QSB6.7L is an in-line six-cylinder, 408-cubic-inch, turbocharged, after-cooled diesel noted for its 80 percent noise reduction compared with similar engines, because of its common-rail fuel system. The single-loop, low-temperature after-cooling eliminates the need for keel coolers, and it reduces emissions.

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• More: Catamarans , HMY , HMY Yachts , January 2024 , Power Catamarans , Solar Powered Yachts , Two Oceans , Yachts
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Fully custom 27m catamaran by Two Oceans Marine nears completion

Two Ocean Marine 's fully-custom, 26.6-metre catamaran is now in "its final months of production". 

Known as the Two Oceans 870 Power Catamaran, it is being built for a client and their family based in the Indian Ocean and will be delivered to the Seychelles.

The yacht forms part of a longstanding collaboration between the South African shipyard and Du Toit Yacht Design , who have partnered on a collection of 14 custom-built catamarans ranging from 18.3 metres to 33.5 metres.

Accommodation is across two en suite cabins on the lower deck and an owner's cabin on the upper deck. The owner's cabin is designed with walk-in closets, a coffee station and a private aft cockpit. Two crew members will be accommodated in each hull, with crew quarters positioned on the main deck.

The main deck is the catamaran's "social nucleus", housing the saloon, a galley and fore and aft cockpits, while the upper-level flybridge will have an al fresco lounge, a bar and a "nap station".

The yacht will also benefit from a variety of water toys, including dive compressors. The tender on the owner's deck is facilitated by a hydraulic crane and davit system, with another crane launching and retrieving the foredeck's two Jet Skis.

Equipped for "extensive cruising", the Two Oceans 870 Power Catamaran will have a fuel capacity of 11,400 litres. 

A relatively low draft of 1.9 metres will also allow the yacht to cruise shallower bays and anchorages, as found in the Bahamas and Caribbean.

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2025 Two Oceans 67' Two Oceans 675

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Mechanical Disclaimer

Engine and generator hours are as of the date of the original listing and are a representation of what the listing broker is told by the owner and/or actual reading of the engine hour meters. The broker cannot guarantee the true hours. It is the responsibility of the purchaser and/or his agent to verify engine hours, warranties implied or otherwise and major overhauls as well as all other representations noted on the listing brochure.

The company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change or withdrawal without notice.

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Here's what we know about why a luxury sailing boat sank off the coast of Sicily

Emergency workers in southern Italy are still hunting for six people missing after a tornado sank a luxury yacht early Monday - prompting an air and naval operation off the coast of Sicily.

Fifteen people were rescued from the wreckage, according to Italy's Coast Guard. One body was recovered on Monday and four more on Wednesday, after divers struggled to reach deep inside the yacht around 50 meters underwater (approximately 150 feet).

Two Americans and four Britons were among the six initially reported missing - including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International, and Chris Morvillo, a prominent lawyer.

Here's what we know.

What happened?

A small waterspout - a type of tornado - spun over the Mediterranean island early Monday, likely capsizing the sailing boat amid lashings of rain and strong thunderstorms.

The British-flagged yacht, called the "Bayesian," was anchored about a half a mile from the port of Porticello, on Sicily's northern coast. The vessel sank after its mast broke in half in the storm, Salvatore Cocina, head of Sicily's Civil Protection, told CNN on Tuesday.

Eyewitnesses described furious gales and hurricane-like winds that left an avalanche of debris near the pier.

More than a dozen survivors were spotted in the area hanging onto life rafts, according to the captain of a nearby boat, who steadied his ship to avoid colliding with the Bayesian.

"We got this strong hurricane gust and we had to start the engine to keep the ship in an angled position," Karsten Bower told reporters in Palermo on Monday. "After the storm was over, we noticed that the ship behind us was gone."

Bower and his crew rescued four injured people, he said, before calling Italy's Coast Guard - who later rescued the remaining survivors.

One of those rescued - a child - was airlifted to the children's hospital in Palermo. Eight people were hospitalized in total, according to the mayor's office.

The girl's mother, Charlotte, described how she battled to hold onto Sofia, her 1-year-old daughter, as reported by Italian news agency ANSA.

"In two seconds I lost the baby in the sea, then I immediately hugged her again amidst the fury of the waves. I held her tightly, close to me, while the sea was stormy," she told journalists. "Many were screaming."

The mother and daughter were later reunited with the father, James, according to a doctor at the local children's hospital in Palermo.

"The survivors are very tired and are constantly asking about the missing people," the doctor, Domenico Cipolla, said Monday. "They are talking and crying all the time because they have realized that there is little hope of finding their friends alive."

Italy's fire brigade dispatched helicopters to aid in the search, officials said Monday. After an unsuccessful attempt on Monday, the brigade sent divers to try and enter the sunken ship Tuesday, recommencing the operation on Wednesday.

The depth of the wreck means divers can only work there for limited periods of time, according to Marco Tilotta, an inspector for the diving unit of Palermo's local fire brigade. The Italian fire brigade said Monday its divers had reached the yacht's hull 49 meters (160 feet) below sea level.

The United Kingdom's Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said it has deployed a team of four inspectors to Palermo which is conducting a preliminary assessment of the scene.

Who was on board?

Twenty-two people were on board the Bayesian, which was flying under a British flag and had mostly British passengers and crew, in addition to two Anglo-French, one Irish and one Sri Lankan person, a spokesperson for Italy's Coast Guard told CNN.

A troupe of high-profile guests are among those missing, including Lynch, the 59-year-old British tech investor who fought a fraud case earlier this year in the United States - which spiraled from the disastrous $11 billion sale of his company to tech firm Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011.

His 18-year-old daughter was also named missing. Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, survived the accident. Bacares told Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica that she woke up at 4 a.m. local time, as the boat tilted. She and her husband were not initially concerned, she said, but became worried when the windows of the yacht shattered and chaos erupted.

RELATED: Divers find 4 bodies during search of superyacht wreckage after it sank off Sicily, 2 still missing

Bacares spoke to the newspaper while sitting in a wheelchair, at a hospital in the Sicilian town of Termini Imerese. She had abrasions on her feet and bandages on other parts of her body, it reported.

Bloomer, the finance tycoon, and Morvillo, a prominent lawyer - and both their wives - are also among the missing, according to Salvatore Cocina, head of Sicily's Civil Protection.

Morvillo, an American partner at Clifford Chance, was involved in successfully defeating the US fraud case against Lynch in June. Another employee of the firm, Ayla Ronald, and her partner, survived the incident, according to a spokesperson for Clifford Chance.

The body that was recovered from the vessel on Monday was identified as the onboard chef Ricardo Thomas, an Antiguan citizen, Reuters reported.

What do we know about the boat?

Built in 2008, the 56-meter (184-foot) yacht was manufactured by Italian company Perini Navi, Reuters reported. According to the Associated Press, the boat has been available for charter for $215,000 (195,000) per week.

Lynch's wife is linked to the yacht. The Bayesian is held by the company Revtom Limited, according to records from the maritime information service Equasis. The company's latest annual return from April lists Bacares as the proprietor.

"Bayesian," the name given to the vessel, is linked to the statistical theory on which Lynch built his fortune, according to Reuters.

The yacht's mast stood 72.27 meters (237 feet) high above the designated water line, just short of the world's tallest mast which is 75.2 meters, according to Guinness World Records. It was the tallest aluminium mast in the world, the Perini Navi website said.

Perini Navi is known for making "good quality boats," according to Caroline White, deputy editor of BOAT International, a media group serving the superyacht industry.

White told CNN that if the Bayesian dismasted, "it should theoretically become more stable." "But it might be a different story if you are in the middle of a violent storm with incredibly strong winds pinning you to the water," she added.

Dangerous weather conditions

Strong storms across Sicily brought torrential rainfall late Sunday. Initial reports suggest a small waterspout, which developed over the area Monday morning, could have been behind the yacht's sinking.

Waterspouts - one of several types of tornadoes - are spinning columns of air that form over water, or move from land out to water. They are often accompanied by high winds, high seas, hail and dangerous lightning. While they are most common over tropical oceans, they can form almost anywhere.

Matthew Schanck, chair of the Maritime Search and Rescue Council, told CNN that while waterspouts in Sicily are rare, "there is a risk" they can happen - just not every day.

Waterspouts rely on warm waters to gain energy and the Mediterranean Sea has been very hot, reaching a record daily median of 28.9 degrees Celsius (84 Fahrenheit) last week, according to preliminary data from researchers at the Institute of Marine Sciences in Spain.

Local temperatures have been even higher, with waters around Sicily reaching almost 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit), almost 3 degrees more than normal, Italian climatologist Luca Mercalli told CNN.

"Warmer oceans have more energy and more humidity to transfer to the atmosphere, the most important fuels for storms," he said.

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A tornado sank a luxury sailing boat off the coast of Sicily. Here’s what we know

E mergency workers in southern Italy are still hunting for at least one person who remains missing after a tornado sank a luxury yacht early Monday – prompting an air and naval operation off the coast of Sicily .

Twenty-two people are thought to have been on the yacht when the tragedy struck. Fifteen people were rescued from the wreckage, according to Italy’s Coast Guard. One body was recovered on Monday and five more were found on Wednesday, after divers struggled to reach deep inside the yacht around 50 meters underwater (approximately 150 feet).

Two Americans and four Britons were among the six initially reported missing – including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International, and Chris Morvillo, a prominent lawyer. The five bodies found Wednesday have not been identified, while the body recovered Monday is thought to be that of the onboard chef Ricardo Thomas.

Here’s what we know.

What happened?

A small waterspout – a type of tornado – spun over the Mediterranean island early Monday, likely capsizing the sailing boat amid lashings of rain and strong thunderstorms.

The British-flagged yacht, called the “Bayesian,” was anchored about a half a mile from the port of Porticello, on Sicily’s northern coast. The vessel sank after its mast broke in half in the storm, Salvatore Cocina, head of Sicily’s Civil Protection, told CNN on Tuesday.

Eyewitnesses described furious gales and hurricane-like winds that left an avalanche of debris near the pier.

More than a dozen survivors were spotted in the area hanging onto life rafts, according to the captain of a nearby boat, who steadied his ship to avoid colliding with the Bayesian.

“We got this strong hurricane gust and we had to start the engine to keep the ship in an angled position,” Karsten Bower told reporters in Palermo on Monday. “After the storm was over, we noticed that the ship behind us was gone.”

Bower and his crew rescued four injured people, he said, before calling Italy’s Coast Guard – who later rescued the remaining survivors.

One of those rescued – a child – was airlifted to the children’s hospital in Palermo. Eight people were hospitalized in total, according to the mayor’s office.

The girl’s mother, Charlotte, described how she battled to hold onto Sofia, her 1-year-old daughter, as reported by Italian news agency ANSA.

“In two seconds I lost the baby in the sea, then I immediately hugged her again amidst the fury of the waves. I held her tightly, close to me, while the sea was stormy,” she told journalists. “Many were screaming.”

The mother and daughter were later reunited with the father, James, according to a doctor at the local children’s hospital in Palermo.

“The survivors are very tired and are constantly asking about the missing people,” the doctor, Domenico Cipolla, said Monday. “They are talking and crying all the time because they have realized that there is little hope of finding their friends alive.”

Italy’s fire brigade dispatched helicopters to aid in the search, officials said Monday. After an unsuccessful attempt on Monday, the brigade sent divers to try and enter the sunken ship Tuesday, recommencing the operation on Wednesday.

The depth of the wreck means divers can only work there for limited periods of time, according to Marco Tilotta, an inspector for the diving unit of Palermo’s local fire brigade. The Italian fire brigade said Monday its divers had reached the yacht’s hull 49 meters (160 feet) below sea level.

The United Kingdom’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said it has deployed a team of four inspectors to Palermo which is conducting a preliminary assessment of the scene.

Who was on board?

Twenty-two people were on board the Bayesian, which was flying under a British flag and had mostly British passengers and crew, in addition to two Anglo-French, one Irish and one Sri Lankan person, a spokesperson for Italy’s Coast Guard told CNN.

A troupe of high-profile guests are among those missing, including Lynch, the 59-year-old British tech investor who fought a fraud case earlier this year in the United States – which spiraled from the disastrous $11 billion sale of his company to tech firm Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011.

His 18-year-old daughter was also named missing. Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, survived the accident. Bacares told Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica that she woke up at 4 a.m. local time, as the boat tilted. She and her husband were not initially concerned, she said, but became worried when the windows of the yacht shattered and chaos erupted.

Bacares spoke to the newspaper while sitting in a wheelchair, at a hospital in the Sicilian town of Termini Imerese. She had abrasions on her feet and bandages on other parts of her body, it reported.

Bloomer, the finance tycoon, and Morvillo, a prominent lawyer – and both their wives – are also among the missing, according to Salvatore Cocina, head of Sicily’s Civil Protection.

Morvillo, an American partner at Clifford Chance, was involved in successfully defeating the US fraud case against Lynch in June. Another employee of the firm, Ayla Ronald, and her partner, survived the incident, according to a spokesperson for Clifford Chance.

The body that was recovered from the vessel on Monday was identified as the onboard chef Ricardo Thomas, an Antiguan citizen, Reuters reported.

What do we know about the boat?

Built in 2008, the 56-meter (184-foot) yacht was manufactured by Italian company Perini Navi, Reuters reported. According to the Associated Press, the boat has been available for charter for $215,000 (€195,000) per week.

Lynch’s wife is linked to the yacht. The Bayesian is held by the company Revtom Limited, according to records from the maritime information service Equasis. The company’s latest annual return from April lists Bacares as the proprietor.

“Bayesian,” the name given to the vessel, is linked to the statistical theory on which Lynch built his fortune, according to Reuters.

The yacht’s mast stood 72.27 meters (237 feet) high above the designated water line, just short of the world’s tallest mast which is 75.2 meters, according to Guinness World Records. It was the tallest aluminium mast in the world, the Perini Navi website said.

Perini Navi is known for making “good quality boats,” according to Caroline White, deputy editor of BOAT International, a media group serving the superyacht industry.

White told CNN that if the Bayesian dismasted, “it should theoretically become more stable.” “But it might be a different story if you are in the middle of a violent storm with incredibly strong winds pinning you to the water,” she added.

Dangerous weather conditions

Strong storms across Sicily brought torrential rainfall late Sunday. Initial reports suggest a small  waterspout , which developed over the area Monday morning, could have been behind the yacht’s sinking.

Waterspouts – one of several types of tornadoes – are spinning columns of air that form over water, or move from land out to water. They are often accompanied by  high winds, high seas, hail and dangerous lightning . While they are most common over tropical oceans, they can form almost anywhere.

Matthew Schanck, chair of the Maritime Search and Rescue Council, told CNN that while waterspouts in Sicily are rare, “there is a risk” they can happen – just not every day.

Waterspouts rely on warm waters to gain energy and the Mediterranean Sea has been very hot, reaching a record  daily median of 28.9 degrees Celsius  (84 Fahrenheit) last week, according to preliminary data from researchers at the Institute of Marine Sciences in Spain.

Local temperatures have been even higher, with waters around Sicily reaching almost 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit), almost 3 degrees more than normal, Italian climatologist Luca Mercalli told CNN.

“Warmer oceans have more energy and more humidity to transfer to the atmosphere, the most important fuels for storms,” he said.

CNN’s Laura Paddison, Louis Mian, Benjamin Brown, Catherine Nicholls, Sabrina Souza, Niamh Kennedy and Eve Brennan contributed reporting.

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