Bayesian yacht crew member defends actions amid legal probe

A British crew member of the ill-fated yacht Bayesian, now under investigation for manslaughter and causing a disaster, has asserted all ‘doors and hatches were closed’ before a violent storm struck.

Chief engineer Tim Parker Eaton, 56, told prosecutors he adhered to procedures and ensured the yacht was watertight as the storm hit, leading to its sinking and the loss of seven lives.

Among the deceased from the August 19 tragedy were British tech billionaire Mike Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18, who was set to start a degree at Oxford University later this month.

Parker Eaton, from Clophill, Bedfordshire, is being investigated along with the Bayesian’s New Zealand captain James Cutfield, 51, and British watchman Matthew Griffiths, who resides in France.

The £30 million yacht sank off the coast of the Italian island of Sicily near the village of Porticello, close to Palermo, after encountering freak weather, resulting in seven fatalities and 15 survivors.

Prosecutors in Termini Imerese near Palermo are probing whether human error contributed to the disaster, with allegations that open ‘portholes and hatches’ allowed water to flood the yacht, causing it to sink in just 16 minutes.

However, in excerpts from Parker Eaton’s statement leaked to Italian media, he insisted that all doors and openings were secured. He stated, “I activated the generators and the hydraulic pump for the rudder.”

When questioned about whether all portholes and hatches, including those where the yacht’s tender was kept, were closed, he confirmed, “Everything was shut. The only thing open was the hatch to the engine room, which from my perspective would not have caused the disaster since it was at the opposite end from where the yacht sank.”

Griffiths’ comments, also leaked, revealed he alerted the captain when the wind reached 20 knots, leading to orders to rouse everyone. He then secured cushions, plants, and windows in the bow lounge and some hatches. “The ship tilted, and we were thrown into the water. We managed to get back up and tried to rescue those we could,” Griffiths said, noting that they formed a human chain to save people on deck.

The experienced Cutfield, 51, one of the 15 survivors, saved passenger Charlotte Golunski and her one-year-old daughter.

Lynch had invited friends and family aboard to celebrate his recent acquittal in a major US fraud case. The 56-metre yacht encountered the storm while anchored off Porticello and sank swiftly. The bodies of Lynch, his daughter Hannah, and their friends were recovered in subsequent search operations.

Chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio, leading the investigation, stated that the team would examine all potential responsibilities, including those of the captain, crew, supervision personnel, and the yacht’s manufacturer. Investigators are particularly focused on why a vessel deemed ‘unsinkable’ by its manufacturer, Perini Navi, sank while a nearby sailboat remained largely unaffected.

Prosecutors suspect a ‘downburst’—a localized, powerful wind from a thunderstorm—as a possible cause. Cutfield exercised his right to remain silent when questioned on Tuesday, with his lawyers citing exhaustion and the need for more time to prepare a defense. Parker Eaton has not commented on the investigation.

Aldo Mordiglia, Cutfield’s lawyer, mentioned that the complex process of raising the yacht might start in October and would be crucial for the investigation. According to maritime code, the yacht’s owner is responsible for salvaging the Bayesian, with judicial authorities also playing a significant role.

Experts aim to raise the yacht swiftly due to concerns over the 18,000 litres of fuel onboard, with an environmental ship ready to deploy protective booms to manage potential spills.