Recovery efforts for the superyacht Bayesian, once owned by the late tech pioneer Mike Lynch, have come to a halt following the tragic death of a diver. The incident occurred while Rob Cornelis Maria Huyben, a 39-year-old diver from the Netherlands, was working underwater on Friday, preparing to dismantle the ship’s main mast.
Huyben was hired by the maritime firm Hebo just last week, and the barge made its way to Porticello, a fishing location near Palermo. The yacht sank on August 19, 2024, after being hit by a severe storm, leading to the deaths of seven individuals, including Lynch and his daughter, Hannah.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the diver’s death, which remains unclear. A statement emphasized that halting operations is vital for both the investigation and to allow rescue teams to grieve the loss of Huyben and his colleagues.
A preliminary examination did not show any obvious injuries on Huyben’s body, and it’s suspected that he may have encountered medical issues while submerged. Another angle being explored relates to whether Huyben was struck by debris—perhaps metal—when divers cut away a piece of the ship’s equipment. Unfortunately, the underwater footage from that moment was blocked just before the incident unfolded.
Marcus Cave, a director at TMC Marine, expressed that this tragic event weighs heavily on everyone involved in the salvage efforts. He mentioned that there’s always an element of risk when conducting recovery missions at sea. The salvage team is fully cooperating with ongoing investigations.
More updates on the salvage project are expected after the weekend. Investigators are optimistic that the yacht could provide critical insights into the circumstances surrounding the incident, particularly regarding suspected human errors and whether other factors played a role in the tragedy. Inspections will determine if any hatches were left open or if the ship’s stability was compromised.
Last June, Lynch had a celebratory voyage around Sicily with his family, marking his acquittal from US fraud charges related to Hewlett-Packard. Tragically, those on board included Lynch’s lawyer, several friends, and a yacht chef—none survived the disaster.
Fifteen individuals managed to escape the sinking, and the wreck itself lies 50 meters below the surface of the Bay of Porticello, under the observation of Italian authorities. Insurance estimates for the salvage operation hover around $30 million, a cost that will fall to the underwriters of Bayesian.
