Tech tycoon Mike Lynch’s superyacht was found with its keel “partially retracted” — something sailboat design experts told The Post could have led directly to the modern craft sinking.
Investigators are focusing their attention on the position of the Bayesian’s 32-foot deep keel, which divers exploring the wreck off the coast of Sicily reported finding in a raised position, according to the Telegraph.
The Bayesian’s keel — a fin-shaped structure on the underside of the hull that’s instrumental in keeping sailboats balanced against their masts — could be raised and lowered, a common feature on luxury yachts that allows easier navigation in harbors where waters might be shallower or have hazards like rocks closer to the surface.
But raising the keel greatly diminishes a boat’s stability, especially under storm-force winds — let alone the tornado witnesses say hit the boat.
“If the keel were in the ‘up’ position, as would be pretty common when anchored or in harbor, the lifted keel would cause its stability to be less than if the keel had been lowered,” luxury yacht designer and engineer Robert Stephens told The Post.
“But stability would still have been ample for any ‘normal’ weather conditions,” Stephens said.
“From the descriptions, it sounds like weather conditions were far out of the ‘normal’ range.”
The Bayesian was struck by a powerful squall just after 4 a.m. Monday as it was anchored outside of Porticello.
Witnesses in nearby boats described a tornado-like waterspout consuming the boat and said it sank within two minutes.
Stephens said no matter how seaworthy the vessel might be, all bets are off if something as volatile and extreme as a waterspout is encountered.
“We don’t know what wind strengths the vessel experienced — if hit directly with a waterspout the winds could have been far in excess of the design criteria for her stability,” he said.
“If the wind strength was strong enough to heel the vessel until the decks were awash, and if watertight doors were not closed in time, the vessel could have filled with water very quickly — what we call ‘downflooding’ — and sunk as a result.”
The ship’s mast — one of the tallest in the world at around 240 feet — could also have played a part in the sinking. Some witnesses have reported seeing the mast snap — which Stephens told The Post would have increased stability in the storm but also created a dangerous hazard.
“The mast on a vessel like this one is very strong and heavy and could impose serious damage to the vessel as it fell or as it lay alongside the vessel, still connected by the rigging,” he said.
“In general, sailing vessels are designed to perform very well and very safely in normal operating conditions,” Stephenson said, adding that when bad weather kicks up it can be up to the crew to respond and manage the boat’s safety — up to a point.
“In the event of sudden or instantaneous onset of extreme weather conditions, it is difficult or impossible to take the safety measures necessary to safeguard the vessel and its crew.”
The bodies of Lynch and five of his passengers — NYC attorney Christopher Morvillo and his wife Neda, along with Morgan Stanley executive Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy — have been recovered from the wreck.
Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter Hannah remains missing.
Six other passengers made it off to safety before the ship sank, along with nine crew members.
The body of ship cook Ricardo Thomas was found shortly after the wreck.
