1 dead, 6 missing — including 2 Americans — after tornado sinks luxury yacht off Sicily

By Isabel Keane | New York Post

A luxury superyacht capsized off the coast of Sicily after a tornado hit the vessel early Monday morning, killing one passenger and leaving six others missing — including two Americans, officials said.

The 160-foot luxury sailboat with 22 people aboard sank off the port of Porticello when it was hit by a violent storm at sunrise, the Italian Coast Guard said.

One body was found near the capsized ship, but six others were missing Monday morning.

The last photo thought to have been taken of the yacht at 10pm on Sunday in Porticello.
The last photo thought to have been taken of the yacht at 10 p.m. on Sunday in Porticello.BAIA Santa Nicolicchia / Facebook
A still image from footage taken off the storm that hit the port.
A still image from footage taken off the storm that hit the port.BAIA Santa Nicolicchia / Facebook

Among the missing were four Britons, two Americans and one Canadian passenger, the Guardian reported.

Fifteen people were rescued from the wreck. Eight of those saved, including a one-year-old child, were taken to local hospitals. All were in stable condition, Italian media reported.

The captain is among the survivors, an Italian Coast Guard spokesperson told CNN.

A helicopter and rescue boats from the Coast Guard, carabinieri, fire rescue and civil protection service were at the scene early Monday searching for those who had not been accounted for, according to the Australian Associated Press.

The massive yacht called the “Bayesian,” flies under the British flag and can reach a maximum speed of 15 knots.

Divers jump into the waters looking for the missing people after the storm struck the yacht.
Divers jump into the waters looking for the missing people after the storm struck the yacht.@vigilidelfuoco/X
rescue
Rescue teams were out early Monday morning saving passengers who were on the luxury superyacht that sunk off the coast of Sicily. REUTERS/
The 160-foot luxury sailboat with 22 people aboard sank off the port of Porticello when it was hit by a violent storm at sunrise, the Italian Coast Guard said.
The 160-foot luxury sailboat with 22 people aboard sank off the port of Porticello when it was hit by a violent storm at sunrise, the Italian Coast Guard said. REUTERS
yacht
Passengers on the ship were British, American and Canadian. REUTERS/

Twelve of its passengers were guests while 10 were crew.

The boat left the Sicilian port of Milazzo on Aug. 14 and was last tracked east of Palermo Sunday evening, according to vessel tracking app Vesselfinder.