Newly released security camera footage captures the final moments of the Bayesian superyacht as it sank on Monday.
As previously reported, the tragic incident unfolded off the coast of Italy on Monday morning when the 160-foot luxury superyacht Bayesian capsized during a violent storm near Sicily.
Rescue efforts are ongoing. Credit: Vincenzo Pepe/Getty
The yacht, carrying 22 people - 12 passengers and 10 crew members - was caught in a sudden and devastating waterspout tornado.
According to Italian media, the tornado’s fierce winds snapped the yacht's single mast, causing the vessel to lose balance and ultimately capsize.
The Italian Coast Guard and local authorities launched an immediate rescue operation, managing to save 15 people, but sadly one person has been confirmed dead while six are still missing, per the Independent.
Authorities are increasingly concerned that British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and five others who were with him on holiday may be trapped inside the yacht.
Among the rescued was a one-year-old child who was airlifted to a children's hospital in Palermo.
Mike Lynch, a British tech millionaire, is also missing. Credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty
A spokesperson for Italy’s Coast Guard confirmed that weather forecasts had warned of potential storms across southern Italy on Sunday, with strong winds predicted for the area.
Newly released security camera footage from a location just 650 feet away from where the Bayesian superyacht sank shows the vessel's final moments as it vanished beneath the waves.
The chilling video reveals the yacht's lights slowly fading from view as the storm intensified, ultimately consuming the luxury vessel.
A witness, who reviewed the footage after hearing about the incident, shared their experience with Giornale Di Sicilia.
“Of about 20 cameras installed in the house, only one was not disturbed by the wind and rain. You can clearly see what is happening,” the witness said.
“There was nothing that could be done for the boat. It disappeared in a very short time,” the witness added, emphasizing the rapid and unstoppable nature of the tragedy.
Watch the footage below:The search for six missing individuals is ongoing. Among those unaccounted for are four Britons, two Americans, and one Canadian, according to reports from The Guardian.
Notably, British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch is among the missing, though his wife, Angela Bacares, was rescued.
Also missing are Lynch's teenage daughter, Hannah, along with his American lawyer, Chris Morvillo - a former assistant district attorney in New York - and his wife, Neda.
British banker Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International, was also still missing as of Tuesday.
An ambulance is parked near the harbor where a search continues for missing passengers after a yacht capsized. Credit: Vincenzo Pepe/Getty
The yacht’s captain, James Catfield, survived the ordeal and was seen outside an emergency room in Termini Imerese, described by sources as "limp" and visibly exhausted.
Reflecting on the disaster, he made a chilling five-word confession: "We didn't see it coming," per the Mirror.
Rescue efforts are ongoing with experts from Italy and the UK attending the scene.
As reported by BBC News, the wreckage is 50m (165ft) below the surface of the water.