The Bayesian Incident: Another Dead
The 39-year-old Dutch diver Robcornelis Maria Huijben Uiben was reportedly involved in an on-the-job accident while diving 49 meters deep. It happened during the recovery operations of the Bayesian last afternoon. The man was diving in the waters of Porticello, in the province of Palermo, where the sailing ship sank. The victim was a 39-year-old Dutch professional who worked for Tmc Marine, the company managing the operation. According to an initial inspection on the body, there were no injuries or burns. This would suggest the possibility of a possible illness.
From what is known, the diver was working on the wreck at a depth of 49 meters and was dealing with some sheets of the Bayesian. His intervention may in some way have something to do with the cause of death. Once brought back to the surface, medical personnel aboard Hebo 2 and Hebo 10 tried to revive the man, but there was nothing they could do. Carabinieri and the coast guard responded to the scene.
Among the riskiest preliminary operations was the placement of the steel lifting slings under the Bayesian, which, along with other devices, will ensure that the superyacht is safely maintained when it is hoisted. It cannot be ruled out that during one of these phases the accident may have occurred. Subsequent to this intervention, another of the critical stages will be the cutting of the 72-meter-high aluminum mast weighing more than 40 tons. Cutting it means changing the weight balance of the wreck, which could move suddenly under the weight of the drift due to the natural counterweight of the mast.
There are already those who are talking about the Bayesian's curse: In August last year when the boat sank seven people died: Owner and new technology mogul Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah, his lawyer Chris Morvillo with his wife Neda, to the president of Morgan Stanley International with his wife Judy and the ship's cook Recaldo Thomas.
Bayesian salvage has been in full swing for a few days now after the arrival of the large Hebo lift 10 crane ship of more than 5.500 tons. She will be the one to lift the wreck off the seabed at a depth of 49 meters. Its smaller sister, Hebo lift 2, has been working on the perpendicular of the sailing ship for the past week to complete the preliminary recovery operations. First among them is hull analysis. “A thorough assessment of the ship and location has confirmed that the Bayesian is still intact lying on the seabed”, says Marcus Cave, director of Tmc Marine, the company that is managing the salvage. "This means that the initial design and methods thought up based on the September data are still valid. We can now proceed with the work of separating the gear, mast and anchor."
Images with the underwater robot and three-dimensional scans showed no injuries or gashes in the hull. However, investigators are not hiding their concern about the condition of the right side, the one that has been lying on the seabed for eight and a half months. To ascertain the condition of that side, it will first be necessary to rotate the Bayesian 90 degrees and raise it above the surface of the water. Operation that will take place between May 18th and 20th, not before slinging the hull, cutting mast, boom, anchor chain. Specialists aboard Hebo Lift 2 have set up eight anchor points (four for each ship) that will be used by the 2 crane ships for the salvage operation. “Prior to salvage”, they explain from Tmc Marine, "Steel lifting slings will be placed under the Bayesian, which, together with other devices, will ensure the superyacht is safely maintained. This will be the most delicate moment: immobilizing the wreck in preparation for cutting the 72-meter-high aluminum mast, weighing more than 40 tons.” Cutting it means changing the weight balance of the wreck, which could move suddenly under the weight of the drift, the mast's natural counterweight.
Once the slinging is completed, the ship's extensive rigging, 72-meter mast, boom, spreaders and sails will be detached to ensure that other work can proceed safely. This equipment will remain on the seabed and will be retrieved only after the hull is dry-docked in the port of Termini Imerese. “Depending on marine weather conditions”, explain Tmc Marine, "the Bayesian will be lifted, in about 10 to 12 days. The superyacht will be carefully repositioned upright and returned to the surface, with the seawater pumped out within a pollution containment area before being later transferred to port."
The Bayesian will be emptied of water to relieve it and allow Hebo lift 10 to move it to port in Termini Imerese suspended in the air. Water will be pumped out of the bow openings that from underwater images were open at the time of the sinking.