Tragedy struck off the coast of Palermo, Sicily, when a luxury sailboat sank after being caught in severe weather early Monday. At least one person died and six remained unaccounted for as the vessel, about 50 meters long, went down while moored near Porticello with more than twenty passengers and crew aboard. Rescue teams reported that fifteen people were rescued alive, including a one-year-old child. Emergency services have launched a full search operation that recovered one more body so far, identified as the ship’s cook, and divers continue to comb the wreckage for potential survivors. The authorities are treating the search as ongoing, and the possibility remains that those missing could be inside the sunken hull, according to officials cited by Adnkronos.
Initial investigations indicate the yacht was flying a United Kingdom flag, and authorities say most of the victims are British. The UK Foreign Office has confirmed it is in contact with the Italian government to provide consular assistance to families affected by the disaster.
Around the ship, a 52-meter sailing yacht carried at least two Anglo-French nationals, a person from Ireland, one from New Zealand, and another from Sri Lanka, with the remainder reported as British by the Italian news agency Adnkronos. All fifteen rescued individuals are reported to be in stable condition. Early responders on site were joined by four coastal patrol boats that brought the survivors safely to shore after the initial rescue by a nearby vessel.
Among the seven people still missing are one crew member and six tourists, with nationalities including British, Canadian, and American. The sinking occurred around 5:00 local time, when a powerful squall struck the area. Witnesses say the sailboat named Bayesian toppled after the main mast broke, and it quickly capsized in open sea not far from the port. The travelers had chosen Sicily as a vacation destination, drawn by its coastal beauty and sunny shores.
Regional President Renato Schifani expressed deep sorrow for the tragedy and commended the relentless efforts of the responders who continue the search. Aerial units and divers have been deployed to the area, and persistent rainstorms known as a cold front have caused flooding in parts of Sicily and affected major cities on the mainland such as Rome, Milan, and Naples.
The incident has underscored the vulnerability of leisure vessels to sudden weather shifts in this part of the Mediterranean. Local authorities are coordinating with national agencies to review safety procedures for crew and passengers, with ongoing investigations into the vessel’s ownership and operational history. Eyewitness accounts and official statements continue to shape the evolving narrative of what happened, as the sea slowly gives up its secrets and the searchers press onward in difficult conditions. The community watches with a mix of grief and resilience, awaiting definitive news on the fate of those missing and the cause of this fatal event.