Shipbuilder Sues Owner of Lost Superyacht Bayesian

The builder of the lost superyacht Bayesian has filed a $500 million lawsuit against a company held by Angela Bacares, widow of tech billionaire Mike Lynch, who owned the vessel and was killed in the sinking. The shipbuilder alleges that the crew of the vessel caused the sinking through negligence, thereby damaging the builder's reputation and causing the loss of valuable business relationships.

Bayesian capsized and sank at anchor in a sudden squall at Porticello, Sicily on August 19, 2024. Seven people perished in the sinking, including owner Mike Lynch and his daughter. Bacares was among the survivors; she owns holding company Revtom, the Bayesian's legal owner and the target of the suit.

After the casualty, the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) launched an inquiry into the British-flagged vessel's loss. The Bayesian was known for her record-setting single aluminum mast, the tallest in the world at the time. Using advanced computer modeling, marine engineering experts at University of Southampton determined for MAIB that the vessel - in its configuration at the time of the casualty - would be vulnerable to a knockdown and capsizing in wind speeds over 63.4 knots. UK Met Office simulations suggested that the extreme thunderstorm produced possible surface wind speeds in excess of 87 knots on scene that morning. Wind loading on the extra-tall mast structure accounted for about 50 percent of the calculated heeling moment.

"The investigation has . . . established that, in the assumed loss condition, wind speeds in excess of 63.4kts on the beam were sufficient to knock Bayesian over," MAIB concluded. "These vulnerabilities (when in the motoring condition with sails lowered, the centerboard raised and 10% consumables on board) were not identified in the stability information book carried on board. Consequently, these vulnerabilities were also unknown to either the owner or the crew of Bayesian." (The agency noted that its findings are not for use in litigation and are for safety analysis and study only; the report was a factual update, and it did not assign fault to any party.)

Bayesian was built by Italian yard Perini Navi, which was acquired by The Italian Sea Group (TISG) in 2021. TISG strongly asserts that there were no design factors at play in the sinking, and that the vessel went down because of crewmember negligence and operational failures.

In its new lawsuit, TISG seeks a total of $535 million from Bayesian's holding company, which is owned by Bacares. In the suit, first reported by The Telegraph, TSIG claims that the vessel's sinking has caused demand for Perini Navi yachts to collapse, cutting into profits, reducing its share price and causing the loss of business opportunities. The firm says that it has not sold any new Perini Navi yachts since the sinking.

Skipper James Cutfield and two crewmembers, Matthew Griffiths and Timothy Eaton, are also named in the suit. The three men also face a local prosecutor's criminal investigation into the sinking.

In response to the filing, a source close to the Lynch family told the Telegraph that the suit was "opportunistic" and "appears designed to distract" from issues raised by the MAIB investigation.