Six people who went missing when a British superyacht capsized off the coast of Sicily could still be alive in air pockets, an engineer has claimed.
British technology tycoon Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah, 18, are among six tourists missing after the yacht, named Bayesian, was battered during intense storms off the coast of Palermo in the early hours of Monday.
Nick Sloane, who worked on the Costa Concordia salvage operation in 2012, said that rescue divers had a “very small window of time to try to find people stuck inside with hopefully an air pocket, and they could be rescued”.
“You’ve got a maximum of two to three days to try to get someone out, so the next 24 hours are critical,” he said.
“If the yacht is on its side, it might have more air pockets than if it’s upright. She’s got quite a large keel, and that will deflect and put her on her side, I’m sure.”
Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo are also confirmed among the missing. Mr Morvillo’s wife is also unaccounted for, the head of Sicily's Civil Protection said.
The 56m Bayesian was carrying 22 people including Brits, Americans and Canadians when it sank. Fifteen people were rescued including a mother and her one-year-old daughter.
Survivors said the trip had been organised by Lynch for his work colleagues.
Divers have warned that they are only able to search the wreckage for 10 minutes at a time.
