Rescuers recover fifth body from sunken superyacht off Sicily; 1 still missing

PORTICELLO, Sicily (AP) — Rescuers searching the wreck of a superyacht that sank off Sicily brought ashore a fifth body on Thursday, leaving one person still unlocated, as investigators sought to learn why the vessel sank so quickly.

Rescue crews brought the body bag ashore at Porticello port while divers continued the search for the sixth missing person.

No signs of life have emerged over four days of searching the yacht's hull on the seabed 50 meters (164 feet) underwater.

The Bayesian, a 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged yacht, went down in a storm early Monday as it was moored about a kilometer (half mile) offshore. Civil protection officials said they believe the ship was struck by a tornado over the water, known as a waterspout, and sank quickly.

The six missing passengers included British tech magnate Mike Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter and associates who had successfully defended him in a recent U.S. federal fraud trial.

Italian Firefighters scuba divers bring ashore in a green bag the body of one of the victims of the UK flag vessel Bayesian, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. The sail yacht was hit by a violent sudden storm and sunk early Monday, while at anchor off the Sicilian village of Porticello near Palermo, in southern Italy. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)

Scuba divers of the Italian Firefighters corp at the scene of the search for a missing boat, in Porticello, southern Italy, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. Rescue teams and divers returned to the site of a storm-sunken superyacht Tuesday to search for six people, including British tech magnate Mike Lynch, who are believed to be still trapped in the hull 50 meters (164-feet) underwater. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)

A boat, top, carrying a dive team passes a fishing boat as it heads out to the site of the Bayesian on the fourth day of the search and recovery operation after the luxury yacht sank in a storm on Monday whilst moored around half a mile off the coast of Porticello, Sicily. ( Jonathan Brady/PA via AP)

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