Sri Lankan Among Passengers on Wrecked Luxury Yacht
(COLOMBO) – A Sri Lankan national was among the passengers aboard a luxury yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily early on Monday morning, according to reports.
The 56-meter (183-foot) vessel, which was flying a British flag, encountered a severe storm that led to its tragic sinking. Italian emergency services confirmed one death and reported six people as still missing.
The yacht, named ‘Bayesian, had 22 people onboard, including 10 crew members and 12 passengers. Among the passengers were citizens from the UK, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Canada, and the USA. Two dual British-French nationals were also reported to be onboard.
Rescue teams managed to save 15 people, including a one-year-old British girl who was swiftly transported to a hospital as a precautionary measure. She is said to be in stable condition. Eight of the rescued individuals are currently receiving treatment in the hospital.
The incident occurred after the yacht was struck by a sudden and violent storm, generating waterspouts, whirling columns of air and mist similar to tornadoes over the sea. Witnesses stated that the yacht’s anchor was down when the storm hit, causing the mast to break and destabilizing the vessel. The yacht ultimately capsized and sank.
Italian coastguards reported that the wreckage has been located at a depth of 50 meters, and divers are continuing to search the area for the missing passengers. The body of the deceased man, whose nationality has yet to be confirmed, was found near the wreckage site.
Local reports indicate that a nearby Dutch-flagged vessel offered assistance before Italian emergency services arrived. A local fisherman witnessed people being rescued by an inflatable boat dispatched from another yacht.
Footage from the rescue site showed helicopters hovering above while coastguard vessels and divers worked tirelessly to locate the missing passengers.
The fate of the Sri Lankan passenger is yet to be known.
