A search and rescue operation is under way in Sicily to find at least seven people after a 180ft yacht, reported to be carrying mostly British passengers, capsized in the early hours of Monday.
At least seven people are reported to be missing after the tourist boat sank off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo, at around 5am local time (6am UK time).
Italian media reported 15 people, including a one-year-old child, were rescued by coast guard patrol boats and firefighters but efforts are under way to find seven missing people believed to be four Britons, two Americans and a Canadian.
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Breaking: Body found by rescuers on the seabed
Italian media are reporting a body has been found by rescuers searching for missing passengers after a yacht capsized off Sicily.
Italian newspaper il Fatto Quotidiano has reported the body was recovered on the sea bed near the sailboat which sank in front of Porticello at around 5am local time.
Mother and baby among 15 rescued
A mother and her one-year-old child are understood to be among the 15 people who were rescued when the yacht capsized earlier this morning.
According to Italian media outlet RAI, the baby was taken to the Children’s Hospital of Palermo.
Both mother and baby are said to be fine, with the woman sustaining only minor injuries and the child undergoing tests as a precaution.
According to La Repubblica, the survivors already brought ashore are British, New Zealand, Irish citizens, as well as a survivor from Sri Lanka. Two of the survivors are said to have dual British-French passports.
What do we know about the yacht?
The 180ft yacht carrrying 22 passengers is thought to have arrived in Porticello after a stopping in Milazzo and sailing alongside of Cefalù.
Named as the Bayesian, a luxury boat which sails under a British flag, the yacht has a gross tonnage of 473 tons, and was built by the Perini Navi Viareggio shipyard in February 2008 before being refitted in 2020.
The vessel has capacity for 11 guests and 10 crewmembers.
The group are reported to have been tourists on holiday in Sicily, and were staying on the vessel.
According to Italian newspaper il Fatto Quotidiano, the yacht is powered by twin 8-cylinder diesel engines and can reach a maximum speed of 15 knots (17mph).
The boat is also said to have the second tallest mast in the world and the largest aluminum one of 75 meters.
Map: Where did the yacht capsize?
According to Italian media, the yacht sank at around 5am local time in the stretch of sea in front of Porticello, in the province of Palermo.
Porticello is a small fishing village located between the Sicilian cities of Palermo and Cefalu and is described on holiday websites as a ‘hidden treasure’ that ‘few tourist know about’.
Sicily yacht capsizes: What we know so far?
Good morning, if you’re just joining us we are providing live coverage after a yacht carrying British passengers capsized off the coast of Sicily at around 5am local time on Monday.
Here’s everything you need to know:
A luxury 180ft sailing yacht, called the Bayesian (pictured above), carrying 22 people sank off the coast of Sicily at around 5am local time after bad weather including a tornado was reported in the area
Fifteen of the 22 people on board, including a one-year-old child and its mother, were rescued by coast guard patrol boats and firefighters.
But seven people, four British nationals, two Americans and a Canadian national, remain missing with a search and rescue effort under way to recover them
Expert divers have already dived to reach the hull, 49 metres below the water and about half a mile from the coast, according to Italian media.
Nautical maps show the last known location of the Bayesian just after 2am local time, when it was at anchor.
Stick with us throughout the day as we bring you the latest on this breaking news story.
Four British nationals and two Americans are among at least seven people missing after a 180ft yacht sank off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of this morning, Italian media reports.
Fifteen of the 22 people on board, including a one-year-old child and its mother, were rescued by coast guard patrol boats and firefighters.
The passengers were mainly British, according to reports, while citizens from New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Canada, the US and two dual British and French nationals were also said to be on board.
The group are reported to have been tourists on holiday in Sicily, and the boat sailed under a British flag.
The vessel is believed to have taken on water after a tornado hit the area off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo, at around 5am.
Good morning
Hello and welcome to our live coverage after a 180ft yacht carrying British passengers sank off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of this morning.
Italian media is reporting four Britons are among seven people missing after the tourist boat was struck by a tornado off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo, at around 5am local time.
We will bring you the latest developments on this breaking story.
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Sicily yacht capsize LIVE: British passengers missing after tornado sinks tourist boat near Palermo as search and rescue operation gets under way
