Investigation Continues into Tragic Sinking of S/Y Bayesian

The MAIB has released its interim report, and this blog post provides a brief summary of the key events detailed in the report from that day.

With the weather taking a turn and wind increasing they decided to motor towards Porticello to anchor for the night, this was to shelter from the weather and to allow for an easy disembarkation for guests. At 21hr24 they anchored to the east, the centreboard was raised into position. At this time the seas were calm and the wind was now light but thunderstorms had been forecast and those on board started to see flashes of lightning. 

At approximately 03hr55 the storm was advancing and crew members closed the forward hatches and cockpit windows to protect the interior. By then the rain had started falling, the wind had picked up to 30kts and a crew member thought the vessel was dragging its anchor. At around 04hr00 the weather was rapidly worsening and at this point the crew were securing some loose items in the crew mess and the upper deck. As the skipper prepped to move the vessel the wind worsened again reaching up to 70kts leading the awning over the flying bridge ripped from port to starboard. Then at 04hr06, Bayesian violently leaned over 90° within 15 seconds, leading to people, furniture, and loose items falling across the deck. The generators shut down and battery-supplied emergency lights came on. The owner and crew members were injured and one member was thrown into the sea.

Crew members in their cabins used multiple methods to exit their space including using their drawers as a ladder, climbing up the walls of the forward staircase. There was no sign of flooding inside the vessel until water came in over the starboard rails and within seconds water started to fill the internal spaces. 

The Chief Engineer and a Deckhand escaped the wheelhouse and launched an EPIRB. They helped others to safety before jumping into the sea. Meanwhile, the Chief Officer and skipper evacuated several guests from the flying bridge. Others escaped from air pockets or were helped out by crew. As the vessel sank, survivors gathered in the water using cushions for flotation. The Chief Officer released a liferaft, which was used to bring people aboard. Flares were fired, attracting Sir Robert Baden Powell, whose tender rescued the group. Despite the efforts six guests and one crew member died. All bodies were later recovered by authorities

Ongoing Action
The safety investigation remains active. Once the wreck is recovered, an examination will provide more of an insight into the vessel’s actual condition at the time of loss. This includes analysis of its loading, potential points of water ingress, and the position of the centreboard which are all key elements to verify or refine the current theoretical assessment. Further investigation into access and escape routes, the vessel’s internal layout, and the status of the liferaft will help determine survivability factors and inform safety conclusions. 

Here at Yotspot, we are sending our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to everyone affected by this tragic event. Our deepest sympathies go out to the crew, their families, and all those impacted.

The information in this blog is based off the PYA report – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xWsFG5LwTsn4Gcal7_MyjmIqkToEP1Sq/view?usp=sharing