Three crew members investigated over Bayesian yacht sinking

Italian authorities are expanding their investigation into the deaths of seven people on board the Bayesian cruise ship, including two crew members and the captain, according to Italian news agencies.

British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and six others died when the 56m (184ft) British-flagged yacht sank off the north coast of Sicily on 19 August.

The investigation is now understood to involve ship engineer Tim Parker Eaton and sailor Matthew Griffith.

Being investigated does not mean being charged with a crime, it is just a procedural step.

The boat sank within minutes in a pre-dawn storm as it was anchored off the north coast of Sicily.

On Monday, the yacht’s 51-year-old captain, New Zealander James Cutfield, was reportedly being investigated for manslaughter and causing the shipwreck.

During questioning on Tuesday, he refused to answer prosecutors’ questions.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, one of the captain’s lawyers, Giovanni Rizzuti, said: “The captain exercised his right to remain silent for two basic reasons. Firstly, he was very tired. Secondly, we were only appointed on Monday and in order to have a comprehensive and accurate defence case, we need to collect a set of data that we do not have at the moment.”

Tim Parker Eaton is believed to have been in charge of the yacht’s engine room and operating systems, while Matthew Griffith was on duty on the night of the disaster.

The sinking has baffled naval experts, who believe that a yacht of the Bayesian’s caliber, built by the prestigious Italian yacht builder Perini, should have been able to withstand the storm and certainly could not have sunk so quickly.

Prosecutors based in Termini Imerese, near Palermo, have indicated that their investigation will be lengthy and require the salvage of the wreckage.

The head of the company that built Bayesian, Giovanni Costantino, told the BBC he was convinced there were numerous errors on board.

“At the back of the boat, there was probably a hatch that opened,” he said, “but there could also have been a side entrance for water to get inside.

“Before a storm, the captain must close all the doors, weigh anchor, start the engine, head into the wind and lower the keel.”

The keel is a large, fin-like part of the boat that protrudes from the bottom of the boat.

“That will help stabilize the ship, they can weather the storm and continue their journey comfortably,” he said.

Currently, the Bayesian lies to the right at a depth of about 50m (164ft).

Meanwhile, the Italian Coast Guard has been conducting environmental monitoring operations at the site of the sunken ship to prevent possible hydrocarbon spills from the hull.

There are currently no leaks from the tanks and no signs of oil contamination, the Coast Guard said in a statement Wednesday.