Diver Dies During Early Efforts to Recover Tech Tycoon’s Sunken Superyacht

A diver tragically died on Friday during early recovery operations for a luxury yacht that sank off northern Sicily — the same vessel that claimed the life of British tech mogul Mike Lynch and six others last year.

The diver, a 39-year-old Dutch national, was working near the coastal town of Porticello when the incident occurred underwater, according to Italian police. He was employed by Hebo Maritiemservice, a Dutch firm specializing in maritime salvage. The exact cause of his death remains under investigation.

The operation was part of preliminary efforts to raise the Bayesian, a 56-meter (184-foot) superyacht that went down in August 2024 after reportedly being struck by a violent downburst — a sudden, powerful downdraft of wind. The disaster killed seven people, including Lynch and his daughter, Hannah.

Authorities hope that lifting the wreck from the seafloor later this month will provide crucial insights into how the yacht, described by some as “unsinkable,” met such a catastrophic fate.

As of now, Hebo Maritiemservice has not issued a public statement regarding the incident.