Chilling video ‘captured by British Bayesian crew member’ shows brutal storms approaching hours before doomed yacht sank, killing seven
This is reportedly the moment a crew member of the doomed superyacht Bayesian posted on social media of an approaching storm.
Matthew Griffiths, 22, is one of three people under investigation following the tragic sinking in August that killed seven people – including tech billionaire Mike Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18.
The video is said to have been uploaded to British-born Griffiths’ Instagram on August 19 – the day the £30 million yacht sank. It shows lightning flashing through the sky, illuminating the Bayesian’s distinctive 75-metre mast.
Claps of thunder are heard as the storm approaches the yacht anchored near the Sicilian fishing village of Porticello near Palermo, unwittingly accompanied by the ACDC hit Thunderstruck.
The video was broadcast by Italian news program Quarta Repubblica earlier this week after they claimed it was on Griffith’s now-closed Instagram account.
Claps of thunder are heard as the storm approaches the yacht – with the video unknowingly accompanied by the ACDC hit Thunderstruck
Seven people died – including tech billionaire Mike Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18 – in the tragic sinking of the luxury yacht off the coast of Sicily
Griffiths, who lives with his parents in the south of France, is being investigated alongside New Zealand skipper James Cutfield, 51, and British chief engineer Tim Parker Eaton, 59, for multiple manslaughter and causing a disaster.
Griffiths was on watch when the storm hit the Bayesian and has told investigators that he and the crew did everything they could to save the passengers on board, but six of them and the yacht’s chef were killed.
Griffiths reportedly told investigators, “I woke the captain when the wind was 20 knots (23 mph). He ordered everyone else to wake up,
‘The yacht overturned and we were thrown into the water. Then we managed to get back up and tried to save those we could.
‘We walked along the sides of the yacht. We saved who we could, Cutfield also saved the little girl and her mother,” referring to passenger Charlotte Golunski and her one-year-old daughter.
Matthew Griffiths is the second British crew member to be investigated after the £30 million Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily last week
A total of 15 people were rescued from the British-flagged yacht and on Thursday the tragedy will be featured in an ITV documentary broadcast at 9pm, where witnesses and emergency services involved in the rescue will speak.
It took 16 minutes for the Bayesian to sink and prosecutors are investigating whether hatches and portholes were left open and unlocked despite bad weather forecast and local fishermen being aware of it.
Giovanni Costantino, CEO of Bayesian builder The Italian Sea Group, has previously told MailOnline that the sinking was ‘due to human error’ and accused the crew of failing to secure the yacht and insisting it was ‘unsinkable’ was.
The victims also included Jonathan Bloomer, president of Morgan Stanley International and his wife Judith, as well as New York attorney Chris Morvillo and his partner Neda and chef Recaldo Thomas.