PALERMO: One man died and 6 folks had been lacking after a luxurious yacht was struck by an unexpectedly violent storm and sank off the Sicilian capital Palermo, the Italian coast guard mentioned on Monday (Aug 19).
The 56m-long sailboat, which was British registered, sank with 22 folks on board shortly earlier than dawn, the coast guard mentioned in a press release.
The lacking folks had been of British, American and Canadian nationality, the coast guard mentioned.
“The wind was very sturdy. Unhealthy climate was anticipated, however not of this magnitude,” a coast guard official in Palermo informed Reuters.
Storms and heavy rainfall have swept down Italy in latest days – with floods and landslides inflicting main injury within the north of the nation – after weeks of scorching warmth.
Eight of the 15 folks rescued, together with a one-year-old youngster, had been transferred to native hospitals. All had been in a steady situation, native media reported.
The coast guard mentioned the boat had been discovered at a depth of 49 metres and that divers had been inspecting the wreck.
Prosecutors within the close by city of Termini Imerese have opened an investigation to look into what had gone fallacious.
The coast guard named the yacht because the Bayesian, constructed by Italian shipbuilder Perini in 2008.
The posh ship has an aluminium hull and may carry 12 visitors and a crew of as much as 10, in keeping with on-line specialist yacht websites.
The boat left the Sicilian port of Milazzo on Aug 14 and was final tracked east of Palermo on Sunday night, with a navigation standing of “at anchor”, in keeping with vessel monitoring app Vesselfinder.
A UK overseas ministry spokesperson mentioned British officers had been involved with native authorities over the incident and had been prepared to supply consular assist for Britons who had been affected.
