# Dutch diver dies during preparations to recover Bayesian yacht off Sicily
A Dutch diver working on preparations for the recovery of the superyacht Bayesian has died off the coast of Sicily, according to the evidence packet for the event date, 2025-05-09. The diver was reportedly 39 years old and employed by a Dutch salvage company taking part in the operation.
The death adds a new layer of tragedy to a shipwreck that has already drawn sustained international attention. The Bayesian sank in 2024 while anchored east of Palermo after severe weather struck the area. Seven of the 22 people on board died in that disaster, including British tech billionaire Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter.
The available evidence says the diver’s body was taken to the port of Porticello. It also reports that the cause of death remained unclear, though Italian news agency ANSA was quoted as saying the man had no visible injuries or burns and that one hypothesis was that he became ill while diving. That detail remains unconfirmed in the evidence and should be treated cautiously.
The recovery operation was being handled by two Dutch companies, showing that the salvage itself had become a specialized international task. The work is important because investigators still do not fully understand how a vessel designed to withstand severe weather ended up sinking so suddenly. The evidence says the accident inquiry cannot be concluded until the ship is brought back above water.
That context explains why the salvage has become more than a technical marine operation. It is tied directly to unresolved questions about what happened during the storm, how the vessel responded, and whether any operational failures contributed to the loss of life. The deaths in the original sinking have already led to legal scrutiny in Italy, where three crew members are reportedly under suspicion, including captain James Cutfield.
The new fatality occurred before the salvage effort itself had even begun in earnest. The evidence describes the diver as being involved in preparations rather than a completed lift, which suggests crews were still in the planning or setup stage when the incident happened.
No further details about the diver’s identity were included in the packet beyond nationality, age and employer. The limited confirmed facts are enough to show how dangerous deep-water recovery work can be, particularly when it involves a wreck already linked to a major loss of life.
