The former captain of the Bayesian superyacht that sank off the coast of Sicily leading to the deaths of seven people has shared his thoughts on the tragedy stating it would have required extreme circumstances for the vessel to capsize.
Taking to LinkedIn, Stephen Edwards, who skippered Bayesian from 2015 to 2020 states that Bayesian (ex Salute) was a 56m Perini Navi and part of a very successful series of hulls.
The yacht was the only one built as a sloop rig (single mast), with the tallest aluminium mast ever constructed.
“The height of Bayesian’s mast was of course considered in the overall design of the boat by Perini’s engineers,” writes Stephen.
“To this end she was equipped with an extra 30T of lead ballast in her keel box … compared to the 56m ketch rigged sister ships.”
And Stephen points out that all yachts such as Bayesian are delivered with a ‘Stability information book’ which defines loading and operation limits.
One section of the Bayesian Stability book related to the use of the moveable keel.. and defines when it must be lowered, he writes.
“In this vessel’s case it was required to be lowered when using sails, and/ or when over 60 nautical miles offshore (regardless of whether sailing or only using engines). At all other times, it could be in the raised position.”
Watertight integrity
The stability book also contains information regarding righting angles and the watertight integrity of the hull.
Key points raised by Stephen are the ‘downflooding angle’ of the Bayesian – the angle at which water would begin to enter through the engine room and vents in the cabins when the vessel was heeled.
This angle was around 40-45 degrees, he states, much less than the Angle of Vanishing Stability (AVS) – the angle at which the boat can no longer return to upright.
Stephen writes: “Unless the vent dampers are closed (which with HVAC systems and generator running they would NOT be as they need to be open for that), the vessel will start to flood rapidly if heeled more than the downflooding angle.”
And he said the windows or portholes are made from laminated marine glass bonded to the hull and superstructure and don’t open.
Sound and seaworthy
Any other deck hatch or superstructure openings are on or close to the centreline of the vessel and for these to take in water – if open – the vessel would have to be heeled way beyond the downflooding Angle and already flooding via ducting or vents.
Stephen summarises: “The vessel Bayesian was sound and seaworthy by design, and to my knowledge well maintained as such.
“However, heeling her to more than around 45 degrees while in normal operational state could result in flooding and subsequent loss if the flooding could not be controlled.”
He concludes: “The weather conditions that could have created these extreme circumstances can indeed occur with very little warning and being so localised are difficult to prepare for, leaving a very short time for the crew to react.
“How the vessel came to be taken outside her operation limits is what the investigators will need to determine.”
Bayesian captain, James Cutfield, is under investigation for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges.
Two other crew members, Tim Parker Eaton and Matthew Griffith, have also been placed under investigation by Italian authorities. Being under investigation does not imply guilt and does not mean formal charges will follow.
