Superyacht captain says everything was done to save those on board – report

Italian divers have recovered the body of one of the victims of the Bayesian sinking.
photo: AFP

captain A superyacht sank off the coast of SicilySeven people died, according to local media reports, and he said he did everything he could to save those on board.

James Carterfield is a New Zealander Bayesian It collapsed during a storm in August.

The yacht is owned by British tech mogul Mike Lynch.and His teenage daughter Hannah Among them are the victims.

Carterfield Currently under investigation by Italian authorities He was convicted for manslaughter and the sinking of the ship, along with two other crew members.

Being investigated does not imply guilt or that formal charges will be filed.

According to sources close to Carterfield who told Italian newspapers, Carterfield is now experiencing the darkest days of his life. Corriere della Sera.

They said he had repeatedly insisted he had not abandoned the people on board – that he had done everything he could to save them but that the boat was taking on too much water.

Cutfield’s brother-in-law Mark described to him Corriere della Sera As a “very experienced” sailor, he was highly respected by his colleagues.

The Bayesian was carrying 22 passengers and crew when it sank.
photo: Vessel Finder

Another sailor who saw Carterfield before the ship sank told the newspaper he did not expect the storm to hit.

at the same time, Bayesian Matthew Griffiths, a crew member on duty the night the yacht sank, told prosecutors that Catfield rescued “a little girl and her mother” from the wreck.

The two were later found floating on a life raft.

Griffiths said he woke up Carterfield when winds reached 20 knots, and the captain then gave the order to wake up everyone else on board, according to Italy’s national news agency.

Griffith reportedly said that soon after, the yacht “tiptoeed” and fell into the water.

He described walking on the wall as the yacht turned on its side.

Autopsies will be carried out on some of the victims on Monday (local time), the news agency reported.

Earlier, Oceanlaw New Zealand partner Karyn van Wijngaarden told RNZ Manslaughter investigations will take at least several months..

“Prosecutors will consider the events leading up to the sinking and whether it was an accident,” Van Veengarden said.

Van Veengarden said weather conditions on the day of the wreck, actions taken by the crew and the operation of the vessel will all be investigated, a process that will take months.

A further complication is that Bayesian At the bottom of the “considerable” amount of water” she said.

“Even just getting there looks challenging.”