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Jeff Bezos’ New Yacht Is Finally Ready to Set Sail

Amazon’s founder has been spotted on Koru, a massive schooner with a design that evokes the golden age of sailing in the early 20th century.

By Kevin Koenig

Just in time for the high season of yachting in the Mediterranean, when multimillion-dollar megayachts descend on ports like Monte Carlo and St. Tropez, Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has been photographed with his partner Lauren Sánchez on his new boat, Koru, off the coast of Spain.

Mr. Bezos’ vessel is a sailing yacht, a departure from the diesel-powered, floating palaces popular with other billionaires. But it is still massive. At 417 feet, Koru is the world’s largest sailing yacht, according to Boat International , and it cost an estimated $500 million to build, Bloomberg reported . (Parsifal III, the boat featured on Bravo’s reality series “Below Deck Sailing Yacht,” is 177 feet long — less than half the length of Koru — and cost $18 million , according to the website SuperYachtFan.)

A spokesperson for Mr. Bezos did not comment for this article; neither did Oceanco, Koru’s builder. Here is what to know about the boat.

For traditionalists, Koru is refreshing. At a time when yacht design skews outrageous — see the lizardlike, 262-foot Artefact or the otherworldly 463-foot Yas — Koru stands out as a schooner, a sailing vessel with two or more masts. Photos reveal a large sailboat with three masts, an on-deck pool and a voluptuous mermaid on the bow, that bears a resemblance to Ms. Sánchez. But otherwise, the sleek, classic lines suggest the patrician age of yachting in the early 20th century, said Robert B. MacKay, author of “The Golden Age of Newport Yachting: Between the Wars.”

“With the clipper bow and the dark hull and the masts,” Mr. MacKay said, referring to Koru’s concave, pointy forward section, “it reminds me of a boat built in 1930 for J.P. Morgan Jr., Corsair IV. It is almost like a reincarnation. It’s certainly at odds with the stuff the oligarchs are building — those look like bloated Clorox bottles.”

Compared with the world’s very largest motor yachts — built for sheer size and the accompanying bragging rights — Koru could almost be considered quaint. Azzam, one of the world’s largest motor yachts, is nearly 200 feet longer.

The Experience

Koru will be propelled primarily by the wind. “Sailboats are usually greener than most powerboats,” said Don Anderson, a former captain of M5 , the world’s largest single-masted sailboat, at 256 feet. “I’d like to think that Koru will be one of the most ecological yachts out there, with its sails and also with the technology that will be aboard.”

“When you’re on a sailboat, you’re more in touch with the wind and the waves than on a powerboat,” he continued. “You’re more susceptible to the elements, too. But you can leave California, and once you get past the Catalinas you can basically surf downwind all the way to Hawaii. All you need to do is run with the waves.”

Mr. Bezos has been a guest on similar boats, according to Bloomberg: In 2019, he was spotted on Eos , a 305-foot sailing yacht owned by Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg.

Bill Tripp, a Connecticut-based naval architect, said the appeal of this type of boat is clear: “When you are on a powerboat, you ask, ‘Are we there yet?’ and on a sailboat, you’re enjoying the ride and the ocean so much that you don’t ask that question.”

Koru will be trailed by Abeona, a 246-foot support vessel. Superyachts often have support vessels following along behind them. These “shadows,” as they are colloquially known, are for the “toys” — the ATVs, supercars, seaplanes, motorcycles, smaller boats, scuba gear, personal submarines and even helicopters that pleasure boaters might bring on a trip. According to its builder, this model of boat can carry these gadgets along with dozens of crew members. (Ms. Sanchez flies helicopters, and the couple was recently photographed taking a helicopter to board Abeona and then Koru.)

Abeona, a motor yacht, will have enough range to follow Koru from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean — a common course for yachts — on a single tank of gas.

The Kerfuffle

Koru set off a controversy last year — before it was even completed — in a face-off with the Dutch city of Rotterdam. The boat was built at Oceanco’s facility in Alblasserdam, the Netherlands, and needed to pass the historic Koningshaven Bridge, known as “De Hef,” in Rotterdam, to undergo testing in the North Sea.

When the city announced it would dismantle the bridge to allow the boat and its mainmast — an estimated 230 feet tall — to pass through unscathed, locals were angry. They planned a protest to throw eggs at the yacht as it cruised by. In the end, the bridge was not taken apart, and the yacht was towed to a different location to have its masts attached.

Koru is Maori for “coil” or “loop” and refers to the unfurling of a fern frond. The koru design is common in traditional Maori art, where it symbolizes new life, growth and peace. Mr. Bezos included a photo of a koru frond in an Instagram post on Jan. 1, 2022.

Brad Stone, who was the first to report on Koru, in his 2021 book “Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire,” said the name was “consistent with where we see him today.”

“He is no longer this single-minded tech guy,” Mr. Stone said. “He’s in media and Hollywood and has a new relationship.”

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The 1902 classic 3-masted sailing yacht.

Welcome aboard the sailing yacht Atlantic

All about one of the most awesome classic yachts of all time, the three mast schooner Atlantic. Long time holder of the world record for the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean under sail, this one hundred and eighty-five foot schooner originally designed by William Gardner in 1903 has been relaunched and is sailing once more.

The Atlantic is currently in the western Mediterranean, and available for luxury sailing yacht charters.

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Jeff Bezos Has Reportedly Received the 417-Foot ‘Koru,’ the Tallest Sailing Yacht in the World

The $485 million vessel left for its maiden voyage last thursday., rachel cormack.

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Amazon founder Jeff Bezos just received a toy way too big for a brown cardboard box.

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The yacht has also been at the center of massive, worldwide controversy. Back in February 2022, Oceanco requested that a centuries-old bridge in the port city of Rotterdam be partially dismantled in order to get the behemoth out and onto the high seas. The masts, which are the same height as the Great Pyramid of Giza, simply exceeded the bridge’s 131-foot clearance and thus prevented Koru from passing under. Rotterdammers were none too pleased and threatened to pelt the yacht with rotten eggs . The request was subsequently denied, and the yacht was instead discreetly towed through Rotterdam without its mast.

The designers behind the yacht’s interior and exterior are yet to be named, but it’s clear that she’s a timeless and elegant cruiser. Koru , which is a Māori for “new beginnings,” features a sleek black hull and white superstructure. She also sports a large pool on the aft deck and a number of plush alfresco lounges.

The epic design isn’t able to accommodate a helicopter, however, as the soaring masts make it too unsafe to land. As a result, Bezos commissioned a second yacht to hold his toys and tenders. Christened Wingman, the custom 246-footer is Damen’s largest support vessel to date. It’s a good match for monumental Koru , then.

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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Parsifal III

• Amenities & Toys
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PARSIFAL III YACHT CHARTER

53.8m  /  176'6   perini navi   2005 / 2012.

• Previous Yacht

Cabin Configuration

Special Features:

• A perfectly proportioned ketch
• Capable of delivering an outstanding sailing experience
• Provides multiple interior and exterior spaces
• Space optimised by innovative design solutions

Luxury yacht Parsifal III is the perfect charter platform for yachting vacations spent entertaining in style

The 54m/177'2" 'Parsifal III' sail yacht built by the Italian shipyard Perini Navi is available for charter for up to 12 guests in 5 cabins. This multi-award winning yacht features interior styling by Remi Tessier.

Offering an enticing combination of luxury and adventure, Parsifal III has all the bells and whistles and a wealth of convivial social spaces for the ultimate sun-kissed yacht charter getaway.

Guest Accommodation

Parsifal III is great for families thanks to her child-friendly setup. Built in 2005, She offers guest accommodation for up to 12 guests with a layout comprising a master suite, two double cabins and two twin cabins. There are 7 beds in total, including 1 king, 2 queen, 4 singles and 2 pullmans. She is also capable of carrying up to 9 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht charter experience.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

You and your guests can enjoy a variety of experiences on Parsifal III, particularly a deck jacuzzi, perfect to enjoy the scenery with your favourite drink in hand.

Parsifal III benefits from some excellent features to improve your charter, particularly Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to stay connected at all times, should you wish. Guests will experience complete comfort while chartering thanks to air conditioning.

Performance & Range

Parsifal III is built with a aluminium hull and aluminium superstructure. Powered by 1 x Caterpillar engines, she comfortably cruises at 10 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 18 knots with a range of up to 3,400 nautical miles from her 46,200 litre fuel tanks at 13 knots.

Set against the backdrop of your chosen cruising ground, you and your guests can enjoy fun on the water with the collection of water toys and accessories aboard Parsifal III. Principle among these are two Open Bic sailboats to bring out the explorer in you. Take to the sea on a Jet Ski offering you power and control on the water. Guests can experience the thrill and adventure of riding a SeaDoo RXP WaveRunner. If that isn't enough Parsifal III also features towable toys, waterskis, a seabob and wakeboards. When it comes to Tenders, Parsifal III has you covered - with two tenders, including a 7.01m/23' Tender.

Marketing Description

The magnificent interior design is highlighted with her blend of dark ebony woodwork, light sycamore, stainless steel and fine leather. She features exquisite design and craftsmanship which creates an ultra modern and stylish yet warm, inviting and relaxed feeling. This is made possible with the skilled use of natural and restful textures. Features of note include a plunge pool, wireless internet, Teppinyaki BBQ, Modula seating in the saloon, and an array of sunning entertainment areas. Parsifal III is one of the most sought after and versatile sailing yachts on the charter market.

Parsifal III and her crew are available for charter this summer for cruising within the Mediterranean. She is already accepting bookings this winter for cruising in Bermuda and the Caribbean.

With its luxurious interiors, vast array of onboard facilities and a highly-trained and professional crew, a luxury yacht vacation onboard sail yacht Parsifal III promises to be nothing short of spectacular.

TESTIMONIALS

Testimonials and reviews of the Parsifal III provided by Charter clients.

I wanted to write and thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the most amazing fourteen days a person could have ever imagined. Your team on Parsifal is second to none. If I’m fortunate enough to go to heaven I hope it’s a lot like my time on Parsifal. Warmest personal regards and appreciation for all you did to make our time onboard so great.

Supplied by: Mr. Devaney

Parsifal III Photos

Amenities & Entertainment

For your relaxation and entertainment Parsifal III has the following facilities, for more details please speak to your yacht charter broker.

Parsifal III is reported to be available to Charter with the following recreation facilities:

• 7.01m  /  23' guest Tender
• 4.88m  /  16' Tender

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

Parsifal III Awards & Nominations

• The World Superyacht Awards 2006 Sailing Yacht of the Year Winner
• The World Superyacht Awards 2006 Best Interior Design - Sail Yacht Winner
• ShowBoats Awards 2006 Sailing Yacht Interior Winner
• + shortlist

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

'Parsifal III' Charter Rates & Destinations

Summer Season

May - September

€245,000 p/week + expenses Approx $272,500

High Season

Cruising Regions

Mediterranean France, Greece, Italy, Monaco, Montenegro

HOT SPOTS:   Amalfi Coast, Corsica, French Riviera, Mykonos, Sardinia

Winter Season

October - April

€235,000 p/week + expenses Approx $261,000

Bermuda Caribbean Antigua, Bahamas, Saint Martin, St Barts

Charter Parsifal III

To charter this luxury yacht contact your charter broker , or we can help you.

To charter this luxury yacht contact your charter broker or

BELOW DECK YACHT: PARSIFAL III

Charter yacht PARSIFAL III starred in Below Sailing Yacht season 1 under her real name. View all  Below Deck yachts, their real names and the cost to rent them . 

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6 of the best superyacht masts

Superyacht masts are where form and function collide, with exterior designers working closely with the technical team to balance satellite communications with the need for smooth styling.

Our round-up starts with the 72.25 metre explorer yacht Cloudbreak . Nothing small belongs on top of this bold Abeking & Rasmussen and the mast structure proves ideal to anchor a crow’s nest for nights under starry skies.

Photo: Christopher Scholey

More about this yacht

Yachts for charter, double down.

Like a Miami moon, a big dome rises over the 65 metre Codecasa superyacht Double Down . Her owner loves the superyacht mast and occasionally projects the logo of his hamburger franchise onto it. Launched in 2010, Double Down ’s exterior styling was created by the Italian yard’s in-house team.

Photo: Billy Black

A proud final touch atop the 65.99 metre custom-built Lürssen superyacht Elysian (ex- Ester III ), this “winged” mast displays perfect symmetry, part of the unique, aggressive exterior styling created by Espen Øino .

Photo: Guillaume Plisson

A slim mast acts as an exclamation point on the sublimely silent 66 metre superyacht Okto , while domes fan like a four-leaf clover around the roof of the upper deck superyacht gym . The current flagship of Italian yard ISA , Okto was launched in 2014 with exterior styling by Andrea Vallicelli .

Photo: Quin Bisset

Elegant and clever, this multifunctional radar arch can be unfastened to allow this 61 metre superyacht to enter her owner’s covered dock. A 2014 launch for CRN , Saramour boasts a graceful exterior, as penned by Francesco Paskowski .

Photo: Maurizio Paradisi

Silver Fast

How do you finish off a design as sleek as the 77 metre Silver Fast ? Stack the domes and antennae into three compact layers and, in the words of Mick Jagger, have the whole thing painted black. This sleek styling is backed up by Silver Fast ’s performance — she tops out at an impressive 27 knots.

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Did a Waterspout Sink the Superyacht? 3 Unusual Design Features Also May Have Played a Role.

G . Bruce Knecht is a former staff writer for The Wall Street Journal and the author of The Proving Ground: The Inside Story of the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race and Grand Ambition: The Extraordinary Yacht, the People Who Built It, and the Millionaire Who Can’t Really Afford It.

Why did it sink?

Bayesian was a massive sailing yacht with one of the tallest masts in yachting history, a 246-foot pole that would have commanded attention even if it hadn’t been illuminated at a peaceful anchorage just north of Sicily on Sunday night.

Mike Lynch, the owner, a British tech billionaire who had been compared to both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, was onboard, celebrating his acquittal on fraud charges that could have sent him to prison for 20 years. He was joined by members of his family, two of the lawyers who defended him, and an investment banker who had provided helpful testimony.

It would be difficult to imagine a better platform for celebrating, a luxuriously appointed $30 million floating palace capable of transporting guests from one Mediterranean paradise to another, looked after by an attentive crew and a talented chef. But early on Monday morning, it all took a turn. Unpleasant weather had been expected, but it suddenly became much worse than that. Just after 4 a.m., the wind reached hurricane force and, worse, spun up a waterspout, a whirling, tornado-like column of air and water capable of inflicting extraordinary violence.

The 184-foot-long Bayesian, still at anchor, began rocking from side to side. Karsten Borner, the skipper of another vessel nearby, told Reuters that Bayesian soon “went flat,” meaning its mast tipped all the way over until it was in the water and the hull was on its side.  Just a few minutes after that, Bayesian was gone. Fifteen people from the yacht were rescued; seven are dead or missing, including Lynch and Jonathan Bloomer, chair of Morgan Stanley International. Early Thursday Lynch’s body had been recovered from the yacht, Reuters reported.

It didn’t take long for the internet to explode with theories.  It seemed like everyone who had anything to do with boats had something to say, and parallel discussions ricocheted through the tech and finance worlds.  Some of the theories involved mechanical failures and broken seals. Some were patently false, starting with the suggestion that the mast, hit by lightning, fell and thus caused the boat to lose stability. In truth, the mast could act like a destabilizing pendulum.  Other theorists noted that it was a warm night, so passengers left their stateroom windows open, allowing waves to enter the interior, even though the seas were relatively calm throughout the night and modern superyacht interiors are sealed up and air-conditioned.

There was even a movie-worthy conspiracy theory, fueled by an onshore death that occurred just two days before Bayesian’s sinking. Stephen Chamberlain, Lynch’s co-defendant in the fraud case, was jogging in England on Saturday morning when he was struck by a car and died. But the idea that someone had arranged both deaths seems far-fetched. For one thing, the driver of the car remained at the scene and cooperated with police.

There is still no certainty about what did happen to Bayesian—multiple investigations are under way. But the answer almost certainly lies in a combination of extraordinary weather conditions and a trio of design features that set Bayesian apart from most sailing yachts: its extraordinary mast; a “lifting keel” that could be extended or retracted beneath the boat, altering its depth from a minimum of 13 feet to a maximum of 32; and a pair of large cockpits where guests could relax and dine.

Even with Bayesian at anchor with its sails down, the pressure of the wind against that mast and the rigging would have caused the yacht to rock. In acting like a pendulum, the outsize mast exaggerated each rocking. Perhaps the boat was at its most vulnerable angle when a gust stuck to set it on its side. But that alone seems unlikely to be the whole story.

The keel—the underwater structure essential to any yacht’s stability—is sure to command attention in the investigations. Was it extended to its full length or was it retracted?  If it was down, it would have counteracted the force of the wind in two ways. First, its resistance against the water would have slowed each of the rocking motions. Much more importantly, a fully extended keel would have substantially counteracted the force of the wind by lowering the yacht’s center of gravity.

Evan Marshall, a London-based superyacht designer who also races aboard large yachts in the Mediterranean, thinks the keel was probably retracted.  “The keels on boats like this are rarely extended,” he said.  “I know that Bayesian traveled in a straight line on the way to the anchorage, so they were clearly under power, and when you’re under power, you would never have the keel down because it only adds to drag. It slows you down, and you burn more fuel.”

“It’s rare that boats like Bayesian actually sail,” he added.  “They’re really motor yachts with sails that occasionally go up. The only time they sail is if the wind is from a direction that will get you to St. Tropez or wherever you’re planning to go.  If the wind is not in a favorable direction, you’re just going to motor.  So, the only time you have the keel down is when you’re actually sailing and you’re going upwind, so the keel can counteract the wind.”

Marshall said it’s also unlikely that the crew lowered the keel after it anchored, explaining, “They’ve no doubt been in severe weather before, and they probably never could have imagined that any sort of condition could knock down the boat.”

And then there’s the waterspout. In August 2019, when a waterspout swept across a harbor near Auckland, New Zealand, it lifted a 60-foot catamaran out of the water and caused it to literally cartwheel over the water before it blasted a 150-foot single-hull sailboat onto its side.  That’s what waterspouts can do. They are essentially no different from the tornadoes that lift trucks off the ground and rip houses from their foundations.

When Bayesian was knocked down, it was particularly vulnerable because of its two large cockpits, places where passengers could sit and enjoy meals.  One of them, a large sunken seating area, was situated around the mast and opened to the grand saloon, the yacht’s living room, by means of a pair of sliding doors.  “When the boat became unstable, everyone on the crew and some of the guests came on deck, so the companionway entrance to the large cockpit may have been open,” said Marshall, who has reviewed Bayesian’s design.  “It’s a large opening, probably six feet across, with a sliding door. Even if the doors were shut, the pressure of the water could have smashed the glass.  Regardless, as soon as the boat was knocked down, the cockpit filled really quickly and flooded the boat really quickly.”

It’s only too easy to imagine what came next.

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Lynch’s superyacht sank because of ultra-tall mast, says rescue skipper

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Marianna Giusti and Giuliana Ricozzi in Porticello

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An experienced boat captain whose ship was anchored close to Mike Lynch’s superyacht when it sank in a violent storm off the coast of Sicily on Monday has said the stricken vessel appeared to capsize because of its extremely high mast.

“In my opinion there is something wrong with the stability,” Dutch skipper Karsten Börner told the FT about the sinking of the 540-tonne Bayesian, which caused the deaths of the UK technology entrepreneur and six others, including Lynch’s daughter.

“The centre of gravity is too high with this extreme mast,” said Börner, referring to the tallest aluminium boat mast in the world.

He rejected an initial assessment by the Italian coastguard that Bayesian was “in the wrong spot at the wrong time”. He said: “I was on the same spot. I have two masts and they are 28 and 29 metres above deck, she has one, 73 metres above deck.”

From his own boat, Börner witnessed the loss of Bayesian in the ferocious storm before rescuing 15 survivors from the Lynch family’s yacht.

He said the wind was “violent, very violent” and guessed it reached force 12 on the Beaufort scale — hurricane strength. “It was tonnes of water coming down. I never saw that before, there was a water tornado,” he added.

Börner, 69, who has 41 years of industry experience, said the survivors he rescued told him that Bayesian sank in less than two minutes.

Closed-circuit TV footage from the shore shows the yacht, its mast lit up, heeling over in the wind before the image is obscured by rain and the lights disappear.

Börner, who has seen the footage, believes it shows Bayesian capsizing in a matter of seconds.

Giovanni Costantino, chief executive of the Italian Sea Group, which owns the yacht’s builder, Perini Navi, previously told the FT that Bayesian “was designed to be absolutely stable” and carry its ultra-tall mast.

He suggested the yacht’s crew had not followed the proper safety procedures. ISG declined to comment on Börner’s conclusions.

Bayesian skipper James Cutfield has not so far commented publicly on the disaster, though he has been interviewed by investigators.

Börner said Bayesian’s crew told him they had “closed the ship”, contradicting ISG’s suggestion that hatches on the yacht had been left open.

He also said that Cutfield, who was among the 15 survivors rescued by Börner’s boat before dawn on Monday, “was completely involved in the rescue”.

Cutfield stayed in Börner’s boat to continue the search for survivors and then transferred to the coastguard.

Sir Robert Baden Powell, the yacht captained by Börner, was anchored close to Bayesian, in what should have been a relatively sheltered anchorage off Porticello, when the storm hit. 

During the storm, Börner tried to keep his ship in position, starting the engine and keeping his bow into the wind.

Bayesian — with which he repeatedly looked to avoid a possible collision during the storm — was behind them. “[They] did the same, I guess,” Börner said.

At one point, Börner’s passengers alerted him to what they thought was “a structure above the water” close to them.

Borner said he turned and, during a flash of lightning, saw a large triangle. “I think they saw the ship capsize and when I turned around I saw the bow, then it went down,” he added.

A public prosecutor investigating the sinking of Bayesian is probing the potential offence of “negligent shipwreck”, according to an Italian official.

If the British-registered boat, designed by Ron Holland and built in 2008, did capsize, one factor may have been the so-called lifting keel.

According to ISG, when the yacht’s keel is raised to allow it to enter shallow anchorages or harbours, Bayesian can withstand an inclination of up to 73 degrees without capsizing.

When the keel is lowered — the safer position — she can tilt by up to 88 degrees, a nearly flat position with the mast on the water. It is not yet known if the keel was up or down.

Börner said he had noticed the impact of global warming on Mediterranean weather in recent years.

“Now we have Medicanes — hurricanes in the Mediterranean — it’s a new thing,” he said, adding he started noticing an intensifying trend of Mediterranean storms in the past five to 10 years.

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The 5 tragic minutes that sank a superyacht

PORTICELLO, Italy — Survivors of a storm that sank a superyacht off Sicily recounted their ordeal to one of the doctors who rushed to their aid, with some saying it took mere minutes for the 180-foot ship to go down. 

Dr. Fabio Genco, head of the Palermo Emergency Medical Services, told NBC News on the phone Thursday that he arrived in the seaside village of Porticello before dawn Monday, about an hour after the $40 million Bayesian sank in the violent and sudden storm.   

Of the 22 people onboard, 15 survived despite storm conditions and darkness, climbing onto a lifeboat before being rescued by a nearby sailboat. The crew members have made no public statements so far, though some have been interviewed by investigators.

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

It appears they had just minutes to abandon the sinking ship, Genco said. 

“They told me that suddenly they found themselves catapulted into the water without even understanding how they had got there,” he said, “And that the whole thing seems to have lasted from 3 to 5 minutes.”

Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, which owns Perini Navi, the Bayesian's shipbuilder, told Sky News that there were no flaws with the design or construction of the yacht. He said their structure and keel made boats like that “unsinkable bodies.”

In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, he disavowed responsibility, blaming instead the actions of the crew. “Mistakes were made,” he said. 

Genco said one of his colleagues who arrived at the scene before him initially thought that only three people survived, but the coast guard reported there were other survivors and more emergency services were called in. 

When Genco arrived, he found scenes of panic and despair. 

“Unfortunately, we are used to such panic scenes because we are used to the shipwrecks that happen on Lampedusa ,” Genco said, referring to the island southwest of Sicily, where the wreckage of boats carrying migrants on the sea journey from North Africa to Italy are often found . 

Six of the passengers were declared missing Monday, and by Thursday, the bodies of five had been recovered from the wreck , some 160 feet underwater.

Among those who survived is Angela Bacares, wife of the British tech mogul Mike Lynch , whose body was recovered Thursday. 

Another survivor has been identified as Charlotte Emsley, 35. She told the Italian news agency ANSA that she had momentarily lost hold of her year-old daughter, Sofia, in the water but managed to retrieve her and hold her over the waves until a lifeboat inflated and they were pulled into safety.

Dr. Domenico Cipolla at the Di Cristina Children’s Hospital in Palermo is also part of a team of medical professionals treating the shipwreck survivors. He told the BBC on Wednesday that Emsley and her daughter, as well as the father of the child, who Cipolla said also survived, are continuing to receive psychological help. 

“Psychological support was constant and is constant even today, because basically it is the wounds of the soul that are the most in need of healing in these cases,” Cipolla said.

Genco also told NBC News that he was especially concerned about the child. “She did not understand anything. She was soaking wet and cold,” he said. 

Karsten Borner, the Dutch captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell, a yacht that was anchored near the Bayesian, said by phone Wednesday that he saw a thunderstorm come in at around 4 a.m. local time (10 p.m. ET) Monday, followed by what looked like a waterspout, a type of tornado that forms over water. 

The International Centre for Waterspout Research noted on X that there was a “waterspout outbreak” off Italy on Monday, the day the Bayesian sank. 

“I turned on the engine and made maneuvers so that we wouldn’t collide with the Bayesian, which was anchored about 100 meters from us,” Borner said. “Then all of a sudden it disappeared. Then the wind calmed down, we looked around and saw a red flare.”

Borner said he got into his boat’s tender and saw a life raft with 15 people on it. Members of the crew were administering first aid. 

“I don’t know why it sank so quickly, but it may have something to do with the mast which was incredibly long,” he said. Questions have been raised about whether the mast was to blame for the accident as tall masts, even with the sails down, have more surface area exposed to the wind, which can contribute to tipping a vessel in a storm.

The CCTV footage that emerged Tuesday showed the yacht’s 250-foot mast, believed to be one of the tallest aluminum sailing masts in the world, lashed by the storm as it appears to tilt to one side before disappearing.

Claudia Rizzo is an Italy based journalist.

Claudio Lavanga is Rome-based foreign correspondent for NBC News.

Yuliya Talmazan is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London.

World’s two tallest masts of sailing yacht Salute and superyacht M5 serviced by Marine Results

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Written by Chelsea Smith

Marine Results, an international rigging and structural inspection company has just carried out service work on the masts of sailing yacht M5 and superyacht Salute – two of the world’s tallest masts.  Marine Results inspected the rig of fast cruising sloop Salute which has the world’s tallest aluminium mast at a towering 75 metres.  But even that measurement was dwarfed by the next project on the schedule, that of the giant 89 metres high rig belonging to the 75m yacht M5 (ex Mirabella) .  Sailing yacht M5 is not only the world’s largest sailing sloop but she has the world’s tallest carbon rig.

Marine Results personnel work on the gigantic M5 sailing yacht mast.

“We have worked extensively with both yachts since they were launched,” comments Jon Morris of Marine Results. “Following completion of the two most recent projects we reflected that we had just carried out work on the world’s two largest rigs in their particular construction category.  We are pretty proud of that achievement and the way that it illustrates our capabilities.”

In the case of the 56m Perini Navi yacht Salute, Marine Results carried out an extensive inspection after the team un-stepped the rig at the Perini Navi yard in La Spezia, where she was originally built.  Marine Results then worked with Perini’s mast division to complete the inspection on the mast and rigging systems. Marine Results specialises in a range of non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques to check for concealed stressing and damage.

The second of the two record breakers, the M5 yacht had her mast pulled out as part of a substantial one-year refit at Pendennis Shipyard in Cornwall.  Marine Results was called in to unstep the rig prior to an extensive modification programme which is expected to last until the end of 2012.

“Unstepping the rig was no small job,” said Morris. “The rig weighs a colossal 46 tonnes. To give you an idea of the size of the job, when we removed the boom vang, this alone was 9.5 metres long and weighed 900 kg.

“One of our strengths is our ability to deploy our teams around the world to carry out service work on dozens of the world’s most advanced racing and cruising superyachts,” concludes Jon Morris.  Marine Results is based in Hamble, England and La Ciotat, France .

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "World’s two tallest masts of sailing yacht Salute and superyacht M5 serviced by Marine Results".

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Did Bayesian superyacht’s 237ft mast cause it to sink?

Bayesian’s 237ft metal mast may have played a part in the sinking of the superyacht off the coast of Sicily , experts have suggested.

The yacht, named after the mathematical theory Mike Lynch used to make his millions in the tech industry, foundered in the small hours of Monday morning.

Key among potential reasons for the loss of the vessel will be its most striking feature – the aluminium mast.

Four British personnel from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch are on their way to Palermo to carry out a preliminary assessment.

There are also theories that hot overnight temperatures of 27C (80C) could have prompted passengers to leave portholes and windows open – hastening the sinking when the high winds hit.

Launched in 2008 by Perini Navi, Bayesian is one of the 50 largest sailing yachts in the world and her mammoth mast supported a total sail area of almost 32,000 sq ft.

Bayesian had the tallest aluminium mast in the world when it first took to the seas under her former name Salute. The record was overtaken last year when Jeff Bezos, the Amazon billionaire launched his yacht, Koru.

Koru’s masts stretch to 278ft tall according to Boat International magazine.

Tom Sharpe, a former Royal Navy commander and warship captain, said initial reports from survivors and witnesses suggested “that the weather was sufficiently violent to cause her to capsize at anchor”.

Weather reports from Palermo airport, 12 miles west of the yacht, suggest that at about 4am, winds switched from a gentle south-westerly breeze to gusts of 40mph, with temperatures dropping.

Local newspapers have described the weather as a tornado and a waterspout, which is a tornado above water.

The pressure of high winds on the mast could have helped tip the boat over in rough seas, experts have suggested.

Mr Sharpe said capsizing seemed “unlikely” to him given the Bayesian’s size “and that boats like that are designed to survive poor weather – unless something failed at the same time like a valve that let water in and made the whole boat unstable”.

He said it was more likely that the Bayesian had “dragged anchor”. Anchors are designed to lodge on rocks on the seabed, but if the seabed is too soft, or weather is so bad that the anchor is dislodged, then a boat can drag its anchor and drift.

If a boat drifts into an obstruction such as a rock or another boat, this can damage the boat by tearing a hole in its side leading to sinking, Mr Sharpe suggested.

The sea bed off Porticello, the Silician harbour nearest to where Bayesian was moored for the night, consists of a mixture of rocky and muddy areas, according to nautical charts reviewed by The Telegraph.

This means the yacht could have dragged anchor if it had been lowered into a soft, muddy patch of seabed.

A captain of another boat anchored nearby said his vessel was hit by abnormally strong winds on Monday morning.

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Karsten Borner said the Sir Robert BP was battered by strong gusts in the early hours of the morning but he managed to stabilise the vessel while anchored by using the engine.

He said as they were doing this, they noticed the Bayesian nearby and manoeuvred to avoid hitting it.

“We managed to keep the ship in position, and after the storm was over, we noticed that the ship behind us was gone,” said Capt Borner.

Mr Sharpe said: “From a seamanship point of view, the other boat (Sir Robert BP) coming up on her main engines and using those to keep position around [her own] anchor is what you should do. Yacht anchors are often not that robust and that is the best way to avoid putting too much strain on it and/or dragging.”

An alternative theory is that the weight of the mast led the Bayesian to capsize.

A yacht industry source told The Times that the vessel sank after the weight of her mast took the hull beyond its “down-flooding angle” – the point at which a boat cannot right itself after swinging at a steep angle – meaning water rushed over the sides into the interior.

“The wind toppled the mast, which fell over the side, causing the boat to heel over and take on water, capsize and sink very quickly,” the source said.

This can occur whether the mast snapped off or not.

Sam Jefferson, editor of Sailing Today, told The Telegraph: “She has a very tall, aluminium mast – I believe it is the second tallest aluminium mast in the world – and that would not have helped.

“Many yachts with big masts have carbon masts instead of aluminium as these save on weight and improve stability and performance.

“Stability was obviously the problem in the extremely strong winds she was experiencing and I’d assume the boat was pinned on its side and could not right before it filled up with water.”

Another superyacht expert who asked not to be named told The Telegraph that the mast could have pulled the Bayesian over into capsizing, although he expressed some scepticism, saying sailing yachts are designed to prevent that from happening.

He said the anchor-dragging theory was also a plausible explanation for why the Bayesian sank.

Typically, crews try to anchor in safe spots that are sheltered away from the wind, they said.

The Bayesian was moored just off Porticello, a few miles east of Palermo. Prevailing winds from the north-east may have robbed the vessel of the shelter offered by the Sicilian coast, which lay to the west.

Dr Lynch was reportedly aboard the vessel. His wife, Angela Bacares, is among those rescued but six others, including four Britons, are still missing.

One person, reportedly the yacht’s chef, died in the incident and his body was recovered by rescuers.

The Bayesian’s last refit was in 2020.

The vessel was listed for rent for up to €195,000 (£166,000) a week, according to online charter websites.

The interior featured six cabins – one master, three doubles and two twin rooms – for up to a dozen guests, with the crew occupying separate quarters.

Fitted out in a Japanese style, the interior was styled by the Remi Tessler design house.

Under her former name Salute, the yacht won the Best Exterior prize at the World Superyacht Awards in 2009, and the Best Interior at the International Superyacht Society Awards in 2008.

A coastguard statement issued on Monday morning said the missing passengers were of “British, American and Canadian nationality”.

Camper & Nicholsons, managers of the Bayesian, confirmed the vessel sank at about 4.30am following “severe weather”.

The Italian Coast Guard is leading search and rescue operations, and said on Monday it had safely recovered 15 individuals.

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What we know about the Bayesian superyacht that sank

The Bayesian, which capsized in the early hours of Monday, was an award-winning yacht with the second-tallest mast in the world.

News reporter @niamhielynch

Friday 23 August 2024 12:37, UK

The Bayesian, an award-winning superyacht, sank during bad weather off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday.

On Thursday, authorities confirmed divers had found the bodies of British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, Morgan Stanley International boss Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy, and one of Mr Lynch's lawyers Chris Morvillo, and his wife Neda.

Recaldo Thomas, the on-board chef, was the first to be confirmed dead earlier this week.

Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, was rescued along with 14 others - including Charlotte Golunski, a mother who told la Repubblica she held her one-year-old baby above the waves to save her from drowning.

Mr Lynch's 18-year-old daughter Hannah is missing, but believed to be the seventh body recovered from the wreckage on Friday.

But what do we know about the ship?

The British-flagged 56-metre ship - previously called the Salute - was built in 2008 by Italian shipyard Perini Navi, and refitted in 2020.

More on Superyacht Sinking

Two British crew members on Bayesian superyacht under investigation

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Its 72-metre mast was the world's tallest aluminium mast, and the second-tallest overall. The yacht could reach a maximum speed of 15 knots and weighed 543 tonnes.

The French design house Remi Tessier fitted out the Japanese-style interior decor, with touches of light and dark beige and dark wood furnishings, as well as a teak deck.

It won the best exterior styling at The World Superyacht Awards in 2009, and best interior at the International Superyacht Society Awards 2008.

It had six guest bedrooms - one master, three doubles, and two twins - holding 12 people, and could carry another 10 crew members.

Pictures show air conditioning units in several of the bedrooms, which could counter expert claims open windows may have caused water to rush in and tip the boat over faster.

Shipspotting.com says it was owned by a firm called Revtom Limited. Mike Lynch's wife, Ms Bacares, is named as the sole shareholder of the firm on company documents.

Read more from Sky News: Lynch's co-defendant dies after being hit by car We can learn from Lynch's unsuccessful prosecution

The yacht's name would resonate with Mr Lynch because his PhD thesis and the software that made his fortune involved a statistical method known as Bayesian inference, based on an 18th-century theory, which helps forecasters predict outcomes more reliably.

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It was listed for rent for up to €195,000 (£166,000) a week, according to online charter sites.

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