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Dubai: The New Playground For The World’s Superyachts

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Its 22 marinas and top-notch maritime services support a thriving yachting ecosystem.

Dubai is attracting some of the world's most impressive superyachts.

Dubai’s marinas have hosted some of the world’s most impressive superyachts, owned by tycoons, royal families and celebrities. Notable superyachts spotted in U.A.E. waters over the past season (October 2023 to June 2024) include the 141-meter Nord , estimated to be worth US$500 million, and the 136-meter Flying Fox , featuring two helipads and the first cryosauna ever installed on a yacht.

The annual Dubai International Boat Show, which has been pivotal in shaping the emirate’s maritime ambitions for the last 30 years, continues to showcase the finest fleet of superyachts, attracting fans, manufacturers and industry experts from around the globe. This year, the show recorded a 30% jump in visiting superyachts and significant high-value sales, cementing its position as a global yachting hub.

With its strategic location, world-class yachting infrastructure and seamless entry procedures, as well as comprehensive commercial and private aviation connectivity, Dubai is rapidly gaining popularity as an ideal yachting destination for the luxury traveler.

Rich Maritime Heritage

The U.A.E.’s maritime heritage dates back thousands of years, long before the discovery of oil. From pearling and fishing to shipbuilding and trading, the maritime industry served as a lifeline for the community and contributed significantly to the local economy. From a small trading port, Dubai has transformed into a global city with top-notch infrastructure, a vibrant economy and a high standard of living. In fact, the “Pearl of the Gulf” emerged as the leading city in the Middle East in the Global Power City Index 2023, securing a place in the top 10, along the likes of London, New York, Tokyo, Paris, Singapore, Amsterdam and Seoul.

The traditional dhow offers tourists a glimpse of Dubai's rich maritime history.

Today, while traditional dhows (wooden sailing boats) still ply the Dubai Creek, offering tourists a glimpse of Dubai’s rich maritime history, a growing number of superyachts are docking at Dubai’s luxury marinas, positioning the emirate as a premier yacht tourism destination.

Yachting Crucial To Tourism Economy

Under the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the U.A.E. and Ruler of Dubai, the emirate has unveiled a comprehensive 10-year economic framework, referred to as D33, which aims to double its economy by 2033 and secure its position as one of the top three global cities for business and leisure, and the best city to visit, live and work in.

The tourism sector plays a crucial role in this economic expansion. In 2023, Dubai welcomed a record 17.5 million international visitors, representing a 19.4% increase from 2022. This growth trend has persisted into 2024, with 9.31 million visitors recorded from January to June, up 9% from the same period in 2023. Dubai has bagged several accolades along the way, including the No. 1 global destination ranking in Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards 2024 for the third consecutive year, making it the only city to achieve this milestone.

All this bodes well for the yachting industry, a key pillar of Dubai’s tourism economy and central to the diversification of the tourism sector. “Yachting contributes to Dubai’s economic growth not only via direct expenditure from docking vessels, but also through attracting new audiences to the city, including investors and high net worth individuals,” says Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, part of Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.

The yachting industry is central to the diversification of the tourism sector, contributing to Dubai’s economic expansion.

The yachting industry in the U.A.E. continues to enjoy remarkable growth. From October 2023 to June 2024, 64 yachts over 28 meters visited the U.A.E., the highest number ever recorded, showing a 12% increase over the previous season, according to the U.A.E Yachting Market Insights 2024 published by IR Yachts. The report also found that larger yachts are visiting the U.A.E.

To support the growth of the industry, the government has continued to invest significantly in developing its maritime infrastructure. For example, a road infrastructure project to improve access to Dubai Harbour is in the works. This AED431 million (US$117 million) project will see the construction of a two-lane bridge spanning 1.5 kilometers, extending from Sheikh Zayed Road to Dubai Harbour. When completed, it will improve the flow of traffic and reduce travel time from 12 minutes to three.

World-Class Infrastructure And Services

Dubai’s world-class maritime infrastructure, including 5,000 berths across 22 marinas, supports a thriving yachting ecosystem, and significant investment has led to the development of luxury services such as waterfront entertainment and state-of-the-art maintenance and repair facilities, ensuring a seamless experience for yachting enthusiasts. Popular marinas include Mina Rashid Marina , Dubai Harbour Marinas , Bulgari Marina and Nakheel Marinas . Well-placed fueling stations are available across the city’s marinas, allowing for convenient refueling for longer voyages. All this is complemented by the city’s abundance of attractions, cosmopolitan atmosphere, diverse gastronomy, privacy and unique lifestyle experiences. Additionally, yacht owners have greater peace of mind knowing that they can safely navigate around Dubai and the Gulf region, as the U.A.E was named the second safest country in the world in 2023 with a safety index of 84.9.

“The outlook for Dubai’s yachting industry is increasingly optimistic, and significant investments are being made to enhance maritime infrastructure and facilities, in addition to streamlining industry regulations,” says Kazim.

Key developments include the expansion of Nakheel Marinas Dubai Islands, which will accommodate 13 superyachts and house 248 wet berths for vessels up to 47 meters and 40 dry berths for trailers up to 20 meters. Mina Rashid will be transformed into a luxurious waterfront residential community , and anchorage points will be expanded across the emirate.

He adds: “Partnerships and collaborations between key stakeholders, a seamless arrival experience for foreign-flagged vessels, and visa options to simplify entry procedures are being prioritized to appeal to yacht owners from a diverse range of markets. Dubai is also positioning itself as a leading hub for the superyacht industry, with a focus on attracting key international players to establish offices, branches and manufacturing facilities here, further boosting our local economy.”

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Billionaire ex-Tottenham owner's massive superyacht labelled an 'eyesore' by Dartmouth residents

The colossal 322ft Aviva, owned by former Spurs owner Joe Lewis, has been anchored in the picturesque town since early August

• 08:39, 2 SEP 2024

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Locals have branded a superyacht owned by billionaire former Spurs owner Joe Lewis an "absolute eyesore" after it moored in their Devon town a month ago.

The massive £250 million, 322ft Aviva, which serves as the magnate's floating home and office complete with a full-size padel tennis court, has been anchored off Dartmouth since early August. The vessel embarked from Troon, Scotland, docking around August 5.

It was one of its few UK appearances since being detained by US courts for over a year while Mr Lewis was embroiled in "brazen" insider trading allegations. The 87-year-old avoided prison time, due to poor health, but was handed a £3.8million fine and a three-year probation period, the Express reports.

• Plans for new 8,000-home Devon town to go on show
• Sports pitch moved to make way for major Devon relief road

Yet, the yacht's prolonged presence has irked some Dartmouth locals, with Michael Rowland condemning the yacht as "an absolute eyesore" and Geraldine Wood criticising it as "totally out of place in beautiful Dartmouth".

A local told The Sun : "I love this town and I wouldn't want to do it down but why does a billionaire want to stay here for the whole of August instead of the Caribbean or the Med? It's been raining constantly for the last few weeks. I guess he's here for the regatta that starts this week but who knows how long he'll stay.

"It's just a huge floating gin palace, miles bigger than anything else in the harbour. We've seen his crew come and go in a tender but I don't know if he's even onboard - nobody's heard anything."

The Aviva was built in 2017 and can sleep 16 people, with a top speed of 20 knots and an environmentally friendly hybrid electric propulsion system. Last month, t he vessel was spotted alongside two other superyachts, the Elysian and the Constance , on the river Dart.

• Most Recent

Sailing yachts like Mike Lynch's are 'unsinkable bodies', CEO of boat manufacturing firm says

Bayesian superyacht which sank off Italy is an "unsinkable" vessel, Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, said.

By Ashna Hurynag, news correspondent and Eleonora Chiarella, producer

Sunday 25 August 2024 08:48, UK

Vessels like Mike Lynch's stricken superyacht are "unsinkable", according to the chief executive of the firm which makes and sells them.

Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, told Sky News there are no flaws with the design and construction of the Bayesian superyacht which capsized in a storm off the coast of Porticello, Sicily, on Monday.

Five bodies were found by divers on Wednesday - taking the number of confirmed dead to six.

The Italian Sea Group also owns the firm that built British tech tycoon Mr Lynch's Bayesian, and Mr Costantino said the vessels "are the safest in the most absolute sense".

"Being the manufacturer of Perini [boats], I know very well how the boats have always been designed and built," he said.

"And as Perini is a sailing ship... sailing ships are renowned to be the safest ever."

He said their structure and keel made them "unsinkable bodies".

Read more on this story: Why search of superyacht wreck has been so difficult Hero mum 'slept with baby on deck when storm sank yacht'

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Mr Costantino said news of the sinking "put me in a state of sadness on one side and of disbelief on the other".

"This incident sounds like an unbelievable story, both technically and as a fact," he said.

It is understood Italian prosecutors investigating the incident are continuing to hold interviews with the survivors.

On Tuesday they questioned the captain for more than two hours to help reconstruct what happened and provide useful technical details.

Four British inspectors are also in Porticello and have begun a preliminary assessment of events.

It is understood they will look at all relevant aspects of the incident, including the design, stability, and operation of the vessel. They will also examine the effects of the weather conditions experienced.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Twenty-two people were on board the vessel, 15 of whom were rescued - including Briton Charlotte Golunski and her one-year-old daughter Sofia.

Divers will resume efforts on Thursday morning to bring ashore a body they found earlier. One more person remains missing.

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Sunken Superyacht Likely to Cost Insurers at Least $150 Million, Experts Say

Insurers of the Bayesian superyacht that sank this month, killing tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and six others, could be on the hook for at least $150 million, according to the first estimates by industry experts.

The British-flagged 56-meter-long (184-foot-long) yacht, which the experts estimated cost around $40 million, capsized and went down on Aug. 19 within minutes of being hit by a pre-dawn storm while anchored off northern Sicily.

The superyacht’s hull was insured against physical damage by yacht insurance provider OMAC and a consortium of insurers including Travelers Cos. Inc., Navium Marine, and Convex, Reuters reported last week.

Yacht Insurer OMAC Is Hull Carrier for Yacht Sunk Off Sicily, Sources Say

Its protection and indemnity (P&I) insurance, which typically covers third-party liability claims including for environmental damage, injury and death, was provided by British Marine.

The hull was likely insured for around $40 million, while the P&I cover would be larger, insurance sources said.

“Our understanding is that the cost of the boat was between $40 and $50 million, so the limit of the hull & machinery policy was probably around those values,” said Marcos Alvarez, managing director, global financial institution ratings at Morningstar DBRS.

The P&I policy would likely be “several multiples” of the hull policy, or $200-300 million, Alvarez added, noting it would also likely cover liability payments even if the captain or crew are found to be negligent.

Prosecutors in the town of Termini Imerese, near Palermo, are investigating the captain and two other crew members. An investigation does not imply guilt or mean formal charges will follow. Prosecutors have said the probe would take time and require salvaging the wreck.

Oscar Seikaly, CEO of broker NSI Insurance Group, that provides yacht insurance, estimated the hull value at $40-70 million, but said P&I cover might not total more than $100 million.

P&I insurance would also cover recovery of the Bayesian, said Francesco Dubbioso, country manager for Italy for insurer Alta Signa Europe, who estimated the superyacht’s value at $30 million to $40 million.

Reuters is the first to report the potential insurance costs. OMAC, Travelers and Navium Marine did not immediately respond to Reuters’ for comment. Convex declined to comment.

The Bayesian disaster, which has puzzled experts who said the boat would have been built to withstand a severe storm, adds to recent woes for yacht insurers, who have faced a raft of hurricane losses in the past few years.

Premium rates have risen by four to five times in the past couple of years in parts of the U.S. and the Caribbean, and yacht insurers have cut the amount of cover they provide because of the risks, Seikaly said.

As a result, insurers have increased rates and re-evaluated their guidelines and risk appetite, according to industry experts.

As well as hurricanes, insured losses have mostly stemmed from severe storms, floods, and other weather events in North America, the Caribbean, and Europe, according to a report by broker Marsh.

Seikaly said four clients had last week been ready to buy boats but changed their minds because of the high cost of insurance.

Climate change was also likely to add to yacht insurers’ worries, Seikaly added, as it throws up more unexpected events.

“Whoever thought a storm in the Mediterranean in the month of August is going to sink a ship?”

(Additional reporting by Sinead Cruise; editing by Michelle Price and Sandra Maler)

Photograph: Italian Firefighters scuba divers bring ashore in a blue bag the body of one of the victims of the UK flag vessel Bayesian, on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)

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Sunk superyacht likely to cost insurers at least $150-million, experts say

Insurers of the Bayesian superyacht that sank this month, killing tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and six others, could be on the hook for at least US$150-million, according to the first estimates by industry experts.

The British-flagged, 56-metre-long yacht, which the experts estimated cost around US$40-million, capsized and went down on Aug. 19 within minutes of being hit by a predawn storm while anchored off northern Sicily.

The superyacht’s hull was insured against physical damage by yacht insurance provider OMAC and a consortium of insurers including Travelers Companies Inc, Navium Marine and Convex, Reuters reported last week.

Its protection and indemnity (P&I) insurance, which typically covers third-party liability claims including for environmental damage, injury and death, was provided by British Marine.

The hull was likely insured for around US$40-million, while the P&I cover would be larger, insurance sources said.

“Our understanding is that the cost of the boat was between US$40 and US$50-million, so the limit of the hull & machinery policy was probably around those values,” said Marcos Alvarez, managing director, global financial institution ratings at Morningstar DBRS.

The P&I policy would likely be “several multiples” of the hull policy, or US$200-300 million, Alvarez added, noting it would also likely cover liability payments even if the captain or crew are found to be negligent.

Prosecutors in the town of Termini Imerese, near Palermo, are investigating the captain and two other crew members. An investigation does not imply guilt or mean formal charges will follow. Prosecutors have said the probe would take time and require salvaging the wreck.

Oscar Seikaly, chief executive officer of broker NSI Insurance Group, that provides yacht insurance, estimated the hull value at US$40-70 million, but said P&I cover might not total more than US$100-million.

P&I insurance would also cover recovery of the Bayesian, said Francesco Dubbioso, country manager for Italy for insurer Alta Signa Europe, who estimated the superyacht’s value at US$30-million to US$40-million.

Reuters is the first to report the potential insurance costs. OMAC, Travelers and Navium Marine did not immediately respond to Reuters’ for comment. Convex declined to comment.

The Bayesian disaster, which has puzzled experts who said the boat would have been built to withstand a severe storm, adds to recent woes for yacht insurers, who have faced a raft of hurricane losses in the past few years.

Premium rates have risen by four to five times in the past couple of years in parts of the U.S. and the Caribbean, and yacht insurers have cut the amount of cover they provide because of the risks, Mr. Seikaly said.

As a result, insurers have increased rates and re-evaluated their guidelines and risk appetite, according to industry experts.

As well as hurricanes, insured losses have mostly stemmed from severe storms, floods, and other weather events in North America, the Caribbean, and Europe, according to a report by broker Marsh.

Mr. Seikaly said four clients had last week been ready to buy boats but changed their minds because of the high cost of insurance.

Climate change was also likely to add to yacht insurers’ worries, Mr. Seikaly added, as it throws up more unexpected events.

“Whoever thought a storm in the Mediterranean in the month of August is going to sink a ship?”

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Breaking news, satellite video shows final minutes of the bayesian superyacht as it is dramatically blown by storm and disappears from radar.

The frightening final minutes of the doomed Bayesian yacht have been revealed in a new video, showing it being hit by a sudden storm then disappearing entirely from radar as it sank.

Satellite imaging video obtained by The Post from the early morning of August 19 shows the moments the $40m superyacht – which had 22 people aboard, seven of whom drowned in the tragedy – is dramatically blown off course by a freak storm off the coast of Porticello in Sicily, Italy.

The yacht is seen blown in a roughly South Eastern direction between 1:56am to 2:09am UTC, the equivalent of 3:56am to 4:09am in the local time. One other vessel, the Sir Robert Baden Powell, is in the same area and also gets flung across the sea.

The 185-foot Bayesian is spun anti-clockwise by more than 180 degrees from its starting point and moves around 300 meters (985 feet). The boat then stays in place as it sank, with its radar signal ominously disappearing at 3:09am UTC, or 5:09am local time, the video from Marinetraffic.com shows.

Describing the scene to Italian authorities, sailor Matthew Griffiths, who was on watch at the time of the sinking, said he “woke the captain up when the wind was blowing at 20 knots [and] he ordered to wake everyone else up,” according to Italian news service ANSA .

Griffiths also told investigators the ship “tilted and we fell into the water … We were then able to climb back on and we tried to rescue those we could.

“[The] boat was tilted and we were walking on the walls. We rescued those we could,” ANSA reported Griffiths saying.

A life raft was launched which carried 15 survivors from the yacht, nine members of staff and six guests, including a one-year-old baby. It was met by a smaller boat sent from the Sir Robert Baden Powell to aid in the rescue.

The Bayesian’s owner, British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, was trapped in a cabin as the ship rapidly sank and died. His daughter, Hannah, 18, also died in the accident, as well as five others: New York City lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda; Morgan Stanley Bank International chair Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy; and the ship’s chef, Recaldo Thomas.

The exact cause of the sinking is not yet known and still under investigation by authorities. It has been suggested that a tornado-like waterspout, known as a “black swan” weather event, could have hit the vessel during the storm, giving the staff little time to react.

Others have suggested windows, portholes or other openings may have been broken or smashed open by the powerful waterspout, causing the yacht to sink so rapidly.

Officials are also looking into whether a downburst could have hit the yacht. Downbursts are a different type of weather event caused by powerful winds being projected downwards from a storm, which can be highly destructive, according to the BBC .

Three of the ship’s crew — Griffiths, ship engineer Tim Parker Eaton and captain James Cutfield — are currently under investigation over the wreck as authorities try and piece together what caused the ship to sink so rapidly.

However, Italian authorities have made clear being part of the investigation does not imply wrongdoing and is a required procedural step.

Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, survived the ordeal but has yet to speak publicly about the ordeal.

The Captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell has also given his version of events at the time of the sinking, saying he noticed the weather deteriorating at 3am.

“When things calmed down and the storm abated somewhat … we were looking around and couldn’t see the Bayesian anymore,” captain Karsten Borner told People magazine.  

“Two passengers and two crew members saw what looked like a whale in the water and realized afterwards it was the capsized boat.

“A moment later, I saw a triangle in the sea in a split second that the sky was lit up by lightning, and that must have been the bow of the ship while sinking over the stern.”

Borner and his first mate then took the smaller boat in an attempt to help survivors.

“We first found things floating in the water like cushions and chairs and stuff. And then we saw a flickering light. This was a life raft with a light on the top. And they also waved at us with a torch.”

“So we went there, and then we found the crew and part of the passengers,” he added.

A salvage mission to raise the Bayesian from the sea bed and bring it to port in Sicily so it can be examined to find out more about its sinking is currently underway.

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Hewlett Packard Enterprise confirms it will continue its $4 billion suit against Mike Lynch's estate after he died in a tragic yacht sinking

• HPE says it will continue to pursue its $4 billion lawsuit against Mike Lynch's estate.
• Lynch, along with his daughter and top attorney, died when his superyacht sank in August.
• Lynch and the company had been involved in a nine-year legal battle over the sale of Autonomy.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise said Monday that it wouldn't drop its lawsuit against the late tech tycoon Mike Lynch 's estate.

The news came two weeks after Lynch died in a tragic yacht sinking off the coast of Sicily. Lynch, along with seven others, including his daughter and his top attorney , drowned when his superyacht, Bayesian, sank.

Before his death, Lynch had been embroiled in a long legal battle with the company. Hewlett-Packard bought his software company, Autonomy, in 2011 and later accused Lynch of valuing it inaccurately. Hewlett-Packard broke into two companies — Hewlett Packard Enterprise and HP — in 2015.

An HPE spokesperson said Monday that the company would continue to pursue the lawsuit, which seeks $4 billion in damages.

Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, who survived the yacht tragedy, is expected to inherit her husband's fight, Fortune reported .

"In 2022, an English High Court judge ruled that HPE had substantially succeeded in its civil fraud claims against Dr Lynch and Mr Hussain," the spokesperson said Monday in a statement to The Associated Press .

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"A damages hearing was held in February 2024 and the judge's decision regarding damages due to HPE will arrive in due course," they added. "It is HPE's intention to follow the proceedings through to their conclusion."

The Monday statement came after the group initially sent a statement to several media outlets declining to comment on legal matters in light of the tragedy.

"We do not think it appropriate to comment on legal matters in these tragic circumstances," a spokesperson previously said, per Fortune . "We're saddened by this tragic event and our thoughts are with the families and friends of all the victims."

The yacht sank just weeks after Lynch and Stephen Chamberlain, his former vice president of finance, were acquitted by a San Francisco jury in June of all criminal charges related to Autonomy's sale.

The indictment accused Lynch and Chamberlain of falsifying financial documents, lying to auditors and regulators, and suppressing people who criticized Autonomy's financial practices.

A representative of HPE did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

Correction: September 3, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated when Lynch and Chamberlain were acquitted of criminal charges. They were acquitted weeks before the yacht sank, not weeks after. An earlier version also misstated the timeline of the lawsuit. It has been in process for nine years, not 13. The story has also been updated to clarify that Hewlett Packard Enterprise is pursuing the lawsuit against Lynch's estate. HPE broke off from Hewlett-Packard in 2015.

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Divers find 5 bodies during search of superyacht wreckage after it sank off Sicily, 1 still missing

The bayesian, a 56-meter (184-foot) british-flagged yacht, went down in a storm early monday, by nicole winfield, danica kirka and andrea rosa | the associated press • published august 21, 2024 • updated on august 21, 2024 at 4:18 pm.

Divers searching the wreck of a superyacht  that sank off Sicily found the bodies of five passengers Wednesday and searched for one more as questions intensified about why the vessel sank so quickly when a nearby sailboat remained largely unscathed.

Rescue crews brought four body bags ashore into port at Porticello. Salvatore Cocina, head of the Sicily civil protection agency, said a fifth body had been located. Divers at the scene said they would try to recover it on Thursday while continuing the search for the sixth.

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Video shows moments before superyacht went down in storm off Sicily

Missing revealed as divers search superyacht that sank in storm off Sicily

The discovery made clear the operation to search the hull on the seabed 50 meters (164 feet) underwater had quickly turned into a recovery one, not a rescue, given the amount of time that had passed and with no signs of life emerging over three days of searching.

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The Bayesian, a 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged yacht, went down in a storm  early Monday  as it was moored about a kilometer (a half-mile) offshore. Civil protection officials said they believed the ship was struck by a tornado over the water, known as a waterspout, and sank quickly.

Fifteen people escaped in a lifeboat and were rescued by a nearby sailboat. One body was recovered Monday — that of the ship’s chef, Recaldo Thomas, of Antigua.

Thomas was born in Canada, according to his cousin David Isaac, but would visit his parents’ homeland of Antigua as a child, moving permanently to the tiny eastern Caribbean island in his early 20s. Italian officials previously listed Antigua and Canada as the nationality of people on board.

The fate of six missing passengers had driven the search effort, including British tech magnate Mike Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter and associates who had successfully defended him in a recent U.S. federal fraud trial.

Lynch’s spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Meanwhile, investigators from the Termini Imerese Public Prosecutor’s Office were acquiring evidence for their criminal investigation, which they opened immediately after the tragedy  even though no formal suspects have been publicly identified.

Questions have abounded about what caused the superyacht, built in 2008 by Italian shipyard Perini Navi, to sink so quickly, when the nearby Sir Robert Baden Powell sailboat was largely spared and managed to rescue the survivors.

Giovanni Costantino, head of The Italian Sea Group, which owns the shipmaker, blamed human error for the disaster, which he said took 16 minutes. “The ship sank because it took on water. From where, the investigators will say,” he told RAI state television after he met with prosecutors.

Costantino cited AIS ship tracking data which he said showed the Bayesian had taken on water for four minutes when a sudden gust of wind flipped it and it continued taking on water. The ship straightened up slightly and then went down, he said.

But was it merely the case of a freak waterspout that knocked the ship to its side and allowed water to pour in through open hatches? What was the position of the keel, which on a large sailboat like the Bayesian might have been retractable, to allow it to enter shallower ports?

“There’s a lot of uncertainty as to whether it had a lifting keel and whether it might have been up,” said Jean-Baptiste Souppez, a fellow of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects and the editor of the Journal of Sailing Technology. “But if it had, then that would reduce the amount of stability that the vessel had, and therefore made it easier for it to roll over on its side,” he said in an interview.

The captain of the sailboat that came to the Bayesian’s rescue said his craft had sustained minimal damage — the frame of a sun awning broke — even with winds that he estimated reached 12 on the Beaufort wind scale, which is the highest hurricane-strength force on the scale.

He said he had remained anchored with his engines running to try to maintain the ship’s position as the storm, which was forecast, rolled in.

“Another possibility is to heave anchor before the storm and to run downwind at open sea,” Karsten Bornersaid in a text message. But he said that might not have been a viable option for the Bayesian, given its trademark 75-meter (246-foot) tall mast.

“If there was a stability problem, caused by the extremely tall mast, it would not have been better at open sea,” he said.

Yachts like the Bayesian are required to have watertight, sub-compartments that are specifically designed to prevent a rapid, catastrophic sinking even when some parts fill with water.

“So for the vessel to sink, especially this fast, you are really looking at taking water on board very quickly, but also in a number of locations along the length of the vessel, which again indicates that it might have been rolled over on its side,” Souppez said.

Italian coast guard and fire rescue divers continued the underwater search in dangerous and time-consuming conditions. Because of the wreck’s depth, which requires special precautions, divers working in tag teams could only spend about 12 minutes at a time searching, though reinforcements outfitted with special equipment to enable longer dives were also on the wreck Wednesday.

In all, some 27 divers were taking rotations, including four who helped with the recovery of the 2012 Costa Concordia disaster off Tuscany. They called the Porticello wreck a “little Concordia,” fire crews said in a statement, which for the first time Wednesday referred to the operation as a “recovery.”

The limited dive time was designed in part to avoid decompression sickness, also known as the “bends,” which can occur when divers stay underwater for long periods and ascend too quickly, allowing nitrogen gas dissolved in the blood to form bubbles.

“The longer you stay, the slower your ascent has to be,” said Simon Rogerson, the editor of SCUBA magazine. He said the tight turnaround time suggested the operation's managers were trying to limit the risks and recovery time after each dive.

“It sounds like they’re operating essentially on no decompression or very tight decompression, or they’re being extremely conservative,” he said.

Additionally, the divers were working in extremely tight spaces, with debris floating around them, limited visibility and air tanks on their backs.

“We are trying to advance in tight spaces, but any single thing slows us down,” said Luca Cari, spokesman for the fire rescue service. “An electric panel could set us back for five hours. These aren’t normal conditions. We’re at the limit of possibility.”

“It’s not a question of entering the cabin to inspect it,” he added. “They’ve arrived at the level of the cabins, but it’s not like you can open the door.”

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