Yacht capsizes in Sicily LIVE: British passengers missing after tornado sinks tourist boat near Palermo as search and rescue operation begins

We have just seen some statements in the Italian press and the residents of Sicily reacting to the tragedy.

A man from Porticello told the Ansa news agency that it appeared the yacht was caught in a storm before capsizing:

That boat was all lit up. Around 4:30 in the morning it was gone.

A beautiful ship where a party had been held. A normal and happy holiday at sea turned into a tragedy.

The ship was not far from the port. It was only a short distance to raise anchor and set sail for the port.

Evidently they were caught by surprise by the storm that suddenly broke out and could not avoid sinking.

Italian media report that rescuers searching for missing passengers have found a body after a yacht capsized off Sicily.

Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano reported that the body was recovered on the seabed near the sailboat that sank off Porticello at around 5 a.m. local time.

A mother and her one-year-old son are believed to be among 15 people rescued when the yacht capsized this morning.

According to Italian media outlet RAI, the baby was transferred to the Children’s Hospital in Palermo.

Both mother and baby are said to be doing well, with the woman suffering only minor injuries and the child undergoing tests as a precaution.

According to La Repubblica, among the survivors who have already been rescued are British, New Zealand and Irish citizens, as well as one survivor from Sri Lanka. Two of the survivors are said to have British and French passports.

The 180-foot yacht with 22 passengers on board is believed to have arrived in Porticello after a stopover in Milazzo and sailed past Cefalù.

Christened Bayesian, a luxury vessel sailing under the 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 boat has capacity for 11 guests and 10 crew members.

The group was apparently made up of tourists on holiday in Sicily and were staying on the boat.

According to Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano, the yacht is powered by two 8-cylinder diesel engines and can reach a top speed of 15 knots (17 mph).

The ship is also said to have the second tallest mast in the world and the largest aluminium mast, measuring 75 metres.

According to Italian media, the yacht sank at around 5 a.m. local time in the stretch of sea off Porticello, in the province of Palermo.

Porticello is a small fishing village situated between the Sicilian cities of Palermo and Cefalù and is described on holiday websites as a “hidden treasure” that “few tourists know about”.

Good morning, if you’re just joining us, we’ll be bringing you 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 180-foot luxury sailing yacht named Bayesian (pictured above), carrying 22 people, sank off the coast of Sicily at around 5 a.m. 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 his mother, were rescued by coast guard patrol boats and firefighters.
• But seven people – four British citizens, two Americans and one Canadian citizen – remain missing and a search and rescue operation is underway to recover them.
• Expert divers have already submerged to reach the hull, 49 metres underwater and about half a mile from the coast, according to Italian media.
• Nautical charts show the Bayesian’s last known location as shortly after 2 a.m. local time, when it was anchored.

Stay with us throughout the day as we bring you the latest on this breaking news story.

Four British citizens and two Americans are among at least seven people missing after a 180-foot yacht sank off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of this morning, Italian media reported.

Fifteen of the 22 people on board, including a one-year-old child and his mother, were rescued by coast guard patrol boats and firefighters.

The passengers were mainly British, according to reports, although there were also said to be citizens of New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Canada, the United States and two dual British-French nationals on board.

The group was apparently made up of tourists on holiday in Sicily and the ship was sailing under a British flag.

The boat is believed to have taken on water after a tornado hit the area off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo, at around 5 a.m.

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 reports that four Britons are among seven people missing after the tourist boat was hit 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 news.