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Sicily yacht sinking LIVE: Mike Lynch among five bodies pulled from Bayesian as daughter Hannah remains missing

LIVE – Updated at 15:30

British tech tycoon Mike Lynch is among five people whose bodies have been recovered from the wreck of a luxury yacht while his daughter remains missing, an Italian official has confirmed.

Morgan Stanley bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judith Bloomer, Clifford Chance lawyer Christopher Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo have also been identified by the Italian coastguard, Sky News reported.

Tributes have poured in from across the tech and business worlds for Mr Lynch , describing him as a “pioneer” and a “giant of a man”.

A major search operation has been underway for the six missing people since the Bayesian sank in a storm off the coast of Sicily around 5am on Monday.Four of the missing were found dead on the wreck yesterday and brought to shore, while a fifth was recovered shortly after the search operation resumed this morning.

The body pulled from the wreck this morning is that of 59-year-old Mr Lynch, interior ministry official Massimo Mariani told Reuters.

He said Mr Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter Hannah Lynch - a former west London schoolgirl who was due to attend Oxford University - is now the only person who is yet to be found.

Fifteen people including a one-year-old baby escaped the tragedy on a lifeboat, while the body of Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the yacht, was recovered at the scene of the sinking on Monday. 

Follow live updates below.

BBC boss Tim Davie pays tribute to 'wise, generous and insightful' Mike Lynch

BBC director-general Tim Davie is the latest major figure to pay tribute after the death of technology mogul Mike Lynch.

Mr Lynch was previously on the board of the BBC, as well as other prominent institutions.

“We are deeply saddened by the awful news about the deaths of those aboard the Bayesian yacht,” said Mr Davie.

“Mike Lynch was an outstanding BBC director who made a major contribution during his time on the board, from 2007 to 2012.

“Wise, generous and insightful, he played a particularly key role in accelerating our transformation as a digital organisation.

“Our thoughts are with his family and all others involved.”

Italian interior ministry official confirms Mike Lynch's body found

Massimo Mariani, an Italian interior ministry official, has confirmed to Reuters news agency the body of British tech magnate Mike Lynch was retrieved from the wreck this morning.

We have been hearing reports of this throughout the day, but this is the first time the news has been confirmed by a named official.

Mr Mariani added that Mr Lynch's daughter is the last person unaccounted for after the yacht, and said she may be inside the wreck or could have been tossed into the sea as the boat sank.

Mike Lynch was 'was a valued donor to Cancer Research UK' says charity CEO

The chief executive of Cancer Research UK has added to the tributes paid to Mike Lynch after confirmation of his death on Thursday.

Michelle Mitchell said: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the death of Mike Lynch and all those who have been affected by this tragedy.

“Together with his wife, Angela, Mike was a valued donor to Cancer Research UK and a member of the board for our Create the Change campaign, which funded the building of the Francis Crick Institute.

“His support has helped to bring leading scientists together under one roof to tackle the biggest health challenges faced by humankind, including cancer.

“Our sincerest condolences go out to all the families affected.”

'Nonsense' that ship sank in seconds, says CEO of The Italian Sea Group

The CEO of the Italian Sea Group, which built the yacht, has dismissed the idea that the boat disappeared in a few seconds as “nonsense”.

In an interview with Italian outlet Corriere della Sera he claimed six minutes passed from when water started entering the ship to when it sunk.

He has argued that the yacht’s guests should have been taken to the assembly point of the ship "as per emergency procedure".

He added: "All it took was a 40-degree tilt and those in the cabin found the door high up."

The CEO added that if the right procedures were followed, which included closing all doors and hatches before starting the engine and pulling up the anchor, then "the next morning, they would have set off again with zero damage".

Tributes pour in from across tech world to 'giant of a man' Mike Lynch

Leading figures from the business and technology sectors have been paying tribute to  Mike Lynch , whose body has reportedly been recovered from the wreck.

One of the UK’s best-known tech entrepreneurs, the 59-year-old has been remembered as “a hugely significant and pioneering figure” who will be remembered for both his “glittering” professional achievements, and for his “generosity, empathy and kindness”.

Read the tributes, and about Mr Lynch’s life and achievements, here .

Key questions facing investigators

Much speculation has swirled since the Bayesian sank, with many baffled as to how the vast yacht went down in a matter of just minutes.

Here are some of the questions and challenges investigators examining the sinking may be facing:

• Was the yacht’s design a factor? Bayesian has a mast measuring 72 metres, making it one of the world’s largest sailing yachts. There has been speculation the mast may have acted “like a sail" when severe weather hit the vessel, leaving it "pinned over on its side".
• Were windows and doors left open? Sam Jefferson, editor of the magazine Sailing Today, told PA news agency he suspects "all the doors were open because it was hot", causing the yacht to fill with water "very quickly". Weather records show temperatures reached around 33C the day before the sinking.
• Will video footage help shine a light on what happened? The Italian coastguard has reportedly visited local homes and organisations to gather footage of the sinking from CCTV cameras.
• Was the keel a factor? Italian media reported that divers found the Bayesian's keel - a flat blade on the bottom of yachts that sticks down into the water to boost stability - was partially retracted. Some yacht safety experts believe that may have contributed to the sinking. But a spokesperson for Italian Sea Group, which owns the company that built Bayesian, told The Telegraph: "Even without the keel completely out, the ship is stable and only a massive entry of water could have caused the sinking."
• Was the crew prepared? The weather event that sank the yacht has been described as a “black swan event”. But Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, has claimed human errors are responsible for the sinking and that it could have been avoided. He told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that it is good practice to have a guard on the bridge while a ship is at anchor, to look out for storms and take necessary measures.

'Moving one metre inside wreckage can take 24 hours' says fire service as difficult search continues

A spokesperson for the Italian fire service has said search teams “would need a crystal ball” to work out when the sixth and final missing person might be found.

Four bodies were recovered from the wreck of Bayesian yesterday, while a fifth was brought to shore this morning. Of the six people rescue teams have been working to find since the yacht sank on Monday, one person remains missing.

"We would need a crystal ball to know when we'll be able to find the next body," Luca Cari of Italy’s fire rescue service, which has been leading the search operation, told Sky News.

"It's very difficult to move inside the wreckage. Moving just one metre can take up to 24 hours.”

Passages inside the wreck - which is lying on the seabed at a depth of around 49m - have been obstructed by furniture and other wreckage, making access very difficult.

No decision yet made on whether to recover yacht - coastguard

A spokesperson for the Italian coastguard has said no discussion has yet been had, regarding whether the wreck of the Bayesian will be recovered from the sea floor.

Spokesperson Vincenzo Zagarola told the PA news agency: "This is not a topic on the agenda. It will be, but not now."

The wreck of the luxury, 56-metre-long (184ft) yacht is resting on the seabed off the coast of Sicily, at a depth of 50 metres (164ft).

Who is missing Hannah Lynch?

Hannah Lynch is the sixth and final missing yacht passenger who is yet to be found, according to reports.

Hannah is the 18-year-old daughter of British billionaire tech tycoon Mike Lynch. She is understood to be the youngest of two girls.

She was on board Bayesian with both her father and her mother, Angela Bacares, when it was hit by severe weather shortly before 5am on Monday.

Mrs Bacares managed to escape the yacht on a lifeboat along with 14 other people, but Mr Lynch and Hannah were among six people who were lost in the sinking.

Expert divers have spent more than three days searching the wreck, which is lying on the seabed at a depth of around 50m.

They have recovered Mr Lynch’s body along with those of four others, but are yet to locate Hannah, according to reports.

Hannah Lynch is a former pupil of prestigious west London private school Latymer Upper School. The £25,000-a-year school in  Hammersmith  counts Alan Rickman,  Hugh Grant  and Heston Blumenthal among alumni.

She is understood to be a gifted pupil, who recently completed her A-levels and secured a place to read English at the University of Oxford.

The teenager has been described by friends as a “supernova” - a gentle, kind, clever young woman who was a staunch feminist, according to The Times.Latymer Upper School said in a statement on Tuesday: “We are all incredibly shocked by the news that Hannah and her father are among those missing in this tragic incident and our thoughts are with their family and everyone involved as we await further updates.”

Read more here .

Mike Lynch 'a hugely significant and pioneering figure' in tech sector

Tech trade association TechUK has paid tribute to tycoon Mike Lynch as “a hugely significant and pioneering figure”.

A spokesperson told The Independent: “Mike Lynch was a hugely significant and pioneering figure in the UK technology sector.

“Our hearts go out to all of the families and friends who have been impacted by these tragic events.”

Royal Academy of Engineering pays tribute to Mike Lynch

The Royal Academy of Engineering has paid tribute to its “mentor, donor and former council member” Mike Lynch following reports of his death.

In a statement, the academy said: “The trustee board, fellows and staff of the Royal Academy of Engineering are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Mike Lynch, and send our profound condolences to his family.

“Mike became a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2008 and we have fond memories of the active role he played in the past as a mentor, donor and former council member.

“He was also one of the inaugural members on the enterprise committee.

“Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.”

Bystanders solemnly watch on as search for sixth body continues

Boat manufacturer ceo claims human mistakes led to sinking.

How the Bayesian - built by Italian high-end yacht manufacturer Perini and presumed to have top-class fittings and safety features - sank so rapidly has baffled naval marine experts who believe it should have been able to withstand the weather.

Giovanni Constantino, CEO of the Italian Sea Group , which includes Perini, has now claimed the luxury yacht was "one of the safest boats in the world".

He said he believed the disaster was caused by a chain of human mistakes and that the storm had been expected, in interviews with Italian media.

"The ship sank because it took on water, from where investigators will have to say," Mr Constantino told television news programme TG1 last night.

Citing data from the yacht's automatic tracking system and based on available footage, he said it took 16 minutes for Bayesian to sink, after it began being buffeted by the wind.

Mr Constantino said the Milan-listed group has suffered "enormous damage" to its reputation, with shares falling 2.5 per cent since the disaster.

Prosecutors have opened an investigation into the sinking, and authorities have started questioning passengers and witnesses. Captain James Cutfield was reportedly interviewed for around two hours on Tuesday.

NSPCC chair pays tribute to Jonathan and Judy Bloomer

The chairman of children’s charity the NSPCC has paid tribute to Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy, following news of their deaths.

Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Mr Bloomer formerly served as honorary treasurer of the NSPCC.

“We are deeply saddened that the deaths of Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy have been confirmed after the yacht they were on tragically sank off the coast of Sicily,” said charity chairman Neil Berkett.

“Jonathan and Judy were great supporters of the NSPCC over many years, with Jonathan joining our board of trustees in 2008 and serving as the honorary treasurer from 2009 to 2016.

“We remember Jonathan from his time with us as a very kind individual with a great sense of humour, and Judy as formidable and passionate.

“We are so grateful for everything they did for children and the NSPCC and our thoughts are with their family, friends and colleagues at this desperately sad time.”

'We were all hoping for a miracle' - friend of Mike Lynch

Brent Hoberman, a friend of renowned British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, has described news of his death as “unbelievably tragic”.

Mr Hoberman told Sky News: “We were all hoping for a miracle - we knew it was unlikely but you still hold out hope.

"It's just so unbelievably tragic for him to go through what he went through over the last 12 years, defending his name and not really living a full life, to now for his death to be confirmed is obviously incredibly sad."

Mr Lynch spent 12 years trying to clear his name after being accused by US firm Hewlett Packard (HP) of fraud and conspiracy.

The father-of-two was finally acquitted in June following a trial in the US.

The yacht trip was a celebration of his acquittal. His wife Angela Bacares and daughter Hannah, friends, colleagues, and lawyers who helped clear his name were among passengers on board.

Body of tech tycoon Mike Lynch 'recovered from yacht' - reports

The body retrieved from the wreck of Bayesian this morning is that of British tech magnate Mike Lynch, a source close to the rescue operation has reportedly told news agency Reuters.

The source said Mr Lynch’s 18-year daughter Hannah Lynch is still missing.

That would mean the four bodies recovered yesterday are those of the four other missing people - Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy Bloomer, and lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda Morvillo.

The Italian Coastguard has confirmed to the PA news agency that the sixth and final person yet to be found is a woman.

The identities of those recovered have not yet been confirmed by authorities.

Photos show fifth body being brought to shore

Photos from photographers at the scene show the fifth body being brought to shore by rescue personnel.

The remains were recovered from the wreckage this morning, and a fire service boat with flashing blue lights returned with a blue body bag to the port of Porticello just after 8.45am local time (7.45am in the UK).

The search continues for the sixth and final missing person.

What we know so far

• Five bodies have been found on the wreckage of the Bayesian superyacht. Four were brought to shore yesterday, with the fifth recovered this morning.
• One person remains missing . Search teams are this morning resuming efforts to find them.
• The yacht is believed to have been hit by a waterspout - a tornado over the water. Eyewitnesses say it sank within a matter of minutes, but how and why it sank so quickly has yet to be established.
• Search efforts have been hampered by debris that has blocked access to the yacht’s sleeping cabins. The operation has also been complicated by the angle and depth of the yacht, which is lying on the seabed around 49m (160.7ft) beneath the surface.
• Authorities have been searching for six missing people : British tech billionaire Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah; Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy Bloomer; Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda Morvillo.
• Italian authorities have not yet officially identified the bodies that have been found.
• Fifteen of the 22 passengers and crew escaped Bayesian on a lifeboat . One man - yacht chef Recaldo Thomas - was found dead at the scene on Monday.

Fifth body recovered

A fifth body has been recovered from the wreck of Bayesian.

The body was one of five located yesterday but divers had to abandon their recovery after night fell last night.

Five bodies have now been recovered from the wreck. One person remains missing.

'The world has lost a genius' says friend of Mike Lynch

David Tabizel, who co-founded software giant Autonomy with Mike Lynch in 1996, has paid tribute to him as “a giant of a man”.

Around 9.30pm on Wednesday, after news was confirmed that five bodies had been found on the Bayesian, Mr Tabizel wrote on X: “It looks like we’ve lost our dear Dr Mike Lynch. RIP. The world has lost a genius. His family have lost a giant of a man.”

Speaking to Sky News earlier this week, Mr Tabizel described Mr Lynch as “one of the most influential, intelligent and most honourable human beings I have ever had the honour of knowing”.

In a piece for the Standard, Mr Lynch’s friend Rohan Silva recounted visiting the tech tycoon while he was under house arrest in the US awaiting his fraud trial, and wrote how after his name was finally cleared Mr Lynch had messaged him to say he was “exhausted” but that it was “so wonderful to be home” in the UK with his wife and two daughters.

Silva said Mr Lynch is “beloved by London’s tech community”, and said he will remember him not just for his “glittering academic and business achievements” but “for his thoughtfulness, generosity, empathy and kindness”.

Mr Lynch rose to become one of Britain’s most successful entrepeneurs, after founding Autonomy.

He sold the firm to Hewlett Packard (HP) for £11bn (£8.64bn), generating himself an $800m windfall. But he then spent 12 years trying to clear his name of fraud and conspiracy, after HP accused him of over-inflating the value of Autonomy.

The 59-year-old was finally cleared in June. He had organised the trip on the Bayesian - a yacht owned by his wife Angela Bacares - as a celebration of his acquittal.

Who are the six people search teams have been looking for?

Search teams have spent more than three days searching for six people who were missing after the Bayesian yacht sank before dawn on Monday.

The bodies of five people have now been found, though it has not confirmed which missing people they belong to.

The six people authorities have been searching for are British billionaire tech tycoon Mike Lynch ; his 18-year-old daughter Hannah Lynch , a former London schoolgirl ; Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy Bloomer ; Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo , and his wife Neda Morvillo .

Photos show search teams resuming operation

Photos from the scene this morning show the search mission appears to have resumed.

It is now just after 8am in Sicily. The Italian fire service, which has been leading the operation, has not yet released a statement this morning but previous days have seen firefighters resume their search at first light.

Search for sixth missing person to resume

Good morning, and welcome to the Standard’s live blog.

Today will see divers search the wreckage of the Bayesian yacht for the final person who remains missing after the luxury vessel sank off the coast of Porticello, in northern Sicily, in the early hours of Monday.

Rescuers have spent three full days searching for six missing passengers - four Brits and two Americans. After difficulty reaching the sleeping cabins where they believed the missing people to be trapped, divers finally managed to gain access yesterday afternoon and found five bodies.

Four of those bodies have been recovered. The whereabouts of the missing sixth person remains unknown.

We will be bringing you updates throughout the day as the operation continues.

The 5 tragic minutes that sank a superyacht

PORTICELLO, Italy — Survivors of a storm that sank a superyacht off Sicily recounted their ordeal to one of the doctors who rushed to their aid, with some saying it took mere minutes for the 180-foot ship to go down. 

Dr. Fabio Genco, head of the Palermo Emergency Medical Services, told NBC News on the phone Thursday that he arrived in the seaside village of Porticello before dawn Monday, about an hour after the $40 million Bayesian sank in the violent and sudden storm.   

Of the 22 people onboard, 15 survived despite storm conditions and darkness, climbing onto a lifeboat before being rescued by a nearby sailboat. The crew members have made no public statements so far, though some have been interviewed by investigators.

“They told me that it was all dark, that the yacht hoisted itself up and then went down,” Genco said, recounting what the survivors told him. “All the objects were falling on them. That’s why I immediately made sure, by asking them questions, if they had any internal injuries,” he said. 

It appears they had just minutes to abandon the sinking ship, Genco said. 

“They told me that suddenly they found themselves catapulted into the water without even understanding how they had got there,” he said, “And that the whole thing seems to have lasted from 3 to 5 minutes.”

Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, which owns Perini Navi, the Bayesian's shipbuilder, told Sky News that there were no flaws with the design or construction of the yacht. He said their structure and keel made boats like that “unsinkable bodies.”

In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, he disavowed responsibility, blaming instead the actions of the crew. “Mistakes were made,” he said. 

Genco said one of his colleagues who arrived at the scene before him initially thought that only three people survived, but the coast guard reported there were other survivors and more emergency services were called in. 

When Genco arrived, he found scenes of panic and despair. 

“Unfortunately, we are used to such panic scenes because we are used to the shipwrecks that happen on Lampedusa ,” Genco said, referring to the island southwest of Sicily, where the wreckage of boats carrying migrants on the sea journey from North Africa to Italy are often found . 

Six of the passengers were declared missing Monday, and by Thursday, the bodies of five had been recovered from the wreck , some 160 feet underwater.

Among those who survived is Angela Bacares, wife of the British tech mogul Mike Lynch , whose body was recovered Thursday. 

Another survivor has been identified as Charlotte Emsley, 35. She told the Italian news agency ANSA that she had momentarily lost hold of her year-old daughter, Sofia, in the water but managed to retrieve her and hold her over the waves until a lifeboat inflated and they were pulled into safety.

Dr. Domenico Cipolla at the Di Cristina Children’s Hospital in Palermo is also part of a team of medical professionals treating the shipwreck survivors. He told the BBC on Wednesday that Emsley and her daughter, as well as the father of the child, who Cipolla said also survived, are continuing to receive psychological help. 

“Psychological support was constant and is constant even today, because basically it is the wounds of the soul that are the most in need of healing in these cases,” Cipolla said.

Genco also told NBC News that he was especially concerned about the child. “She did not understand anything. She was soaking wet and cold,” he said. 

Karsten Borner, the Dutch captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell, a yacht that was anchored near the Bayesian, said by phone Wednesday that he saw a thunderstorm come in at around 4 a.m. local time (10 p.m. ET) Monday, followed by what looked like a waterspout, a type of tornado that forms over water. 

The International Centre for Waterspout Research noted on X that there was a “waterspout outbreak” off Italy on Monday, the day the Bayesian sank. 

“I turned on the engine and made maneuvers so that we wouldn’t collide with the Bayesian, which was anchored about 100 meters from us,” Borner said. “Then all of a sudden it disappeared. Then the wind calmed down, we looked around and saw a red flare.”

Borner said he got into his boat’s tender and saw a life raft with 15 people on it. Members of the crew were administering first aid. 

“I don’t know why it sank so quickly, but it may have something to do with the mast which was incredibly long,” he said. Questions have been raised about whether the mast was to blame for the accident as tall masts, even with the sails down, have more surface area exposed to the wind, which can contribute to tipping a vessel in a storm.

The CCTV footage that emerged Tuesday showed the yacht’s 250-foot mast, believed to be one of the tallest aluminum sailing masts in the world, lashed by the storm as it appears to tilt to one side before disappearing.

Claudia Rizzo is an Italy based journalist.

Claudio Lavanga is Rome-based foreign correspondent for NBC News.

Yuliya Talmazan is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London.

The two sailors stranded on a 19-metre yacht had to jump from the vessel in wild weather into the arms of rescuers in a major operation off the New South Wales south coast.

The crew of the Spirit of Mateship activated a distress beacon on Monday before 1pm after it suffered a mechanical failure and took on water 185 kilometres from Nowra.

NSW Police Marine Command and the Australian Defence Force were notified and a joint rescue operation was launched to find the vessel and the crew on board.

Aircraft deployed to the scene made first contact with the 60-year-old man and 48-year-old woman who were uninjured but concerned for their safety.

Police and crew on the HMAS Canberra reached the yacht on Tuesday about 1am, but abandoned a plan to either winch the pair to safety or to conduct an operation using a vessel due to the wild and windy weather that smashed Sydney for most of the day.

Hours later just before 7:30pm, police deployed a dinghy from its Nemesis vessel with a specialist team on board in a daring attempt to rescue the pair.

Vision released by NSW Police showed the boat riding what has been described as five to six metre waves and wind speeds between 50 to 60 km/h as it reached the yacht.

"One, got one!" an officer said after one sailor jumped into the police boat.

He then shouted "two, two, two" moments later when both were rescued.

NSW Police Marine Area Command Chief Inspector Anthony Brazzill told reporters the man and woman had no choice but to jump to the safety of police.

"It's a matter of timing it. (We had to) get the person to jump as they're (police) coming in, get them to jump and catch," he said in a press conference.

Chief Insp Brazzill added the duo were wearing life jackets prior and that police had specialist teams to conduct a rescue if someone fell into the water.

The man and woman were not injured in the incident, but are fatigued.

They were given water, food and time to sleep before they arrive to Sydney.

Chief Insp Brazzill revealed the man had brought the Spirit of Mateship down from the Gold Coast in Queensland on New Year's Eve last year.

The 60-year-old had been living on board and travelling along the coast.

It is believed the woman on board was a friend he invited for "companionship" and they were heading back to the Gold Coast when they lost the yacht's rudder.

"They were rediverting coming into Sydney but you know, accidents happen and mechanical failure and they started taking on water," he said.

Police also urged those who own emergency position-indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) to ensure the equipment is registered properly with the correct details.

The Spirit of Mateship - which previously competed in multiple Sydney to Hobart races - could not be salvaged in the rough conditions and sits off the coast.

"It became extremely challenging. If we can we will (but) we left that yacht for the safety of the crew and rescuers. The priority is to save lives, not boats," Chief Insp Brazzill said.

An alert will be sent out to ships in the area of the wrecked yacht.

The man and woman are set to return to dry land about 6:30pm.

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Bayesian yacht sinking: The key questions for investigators as probes underway

Investigators will face a number of key questions as they probe the sinking of the British-flagged Bayesian off the coast of Sicily .

A body believed to be that of Mike Lynch's 18-year-old daughter Hannah was recovered from the wreckage of the luxury yacht off the coast of Sicily on Friday.

Mr Lynch, Hannah, Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo, and his wife Neda Morvillo were all lost when the ship sank. If confirmed to be Hannah all missing passengers have now been found. The body of the yacht ’s chef, Recaldo Thomas, was located shortly after the vessel sank.

Italian prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation. Investigators from the public prosecutor's office in the Sicilian town of Termini Imerese are collecting evidence for the probe.

The UK's Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has deployed a team of inspectors to Italy.

The MAIB does not look to establish blame or liability but seeks to discover the causes of accidents at sea and prevent similar incidents in future. As investigators probe the aftermath of the incident, the Standard takes a look at key questions they will look into:

Did the yacht's design contribute to sinking?

The Bayesian has a mast measuring 72 metres, making it one of the largest in the world among sailing yachts.

Sam Jefferson, editor of the magazine Sailing Today, said the mast may have "acted almost like a sail" when severe weather hit the vessel, causing it to be "pinned over on its side".

Why did it sink so quickly and were the portholes open?

Mr Jefferson said he suspects "all the doors were open because it was hot", causing the yacht to fill with water "very quickly".

Weather records show temperatures reached around 33C the day before the sinking, which may have led to the vessel's occupants keeping access points open overnight.

Was the keel up? And if so, why?

Family of Mike and Hannah Lynch 'devastated' as last body recovered from yacht - LIVE

Lynch family ‘devastated and in shock’ after bodies recovered from sunken yacht

Who are the victims of the Bayesian yacht sinking?

Wolfpack Lager founders share business tips

Italian media reported that divers found the Bayesian's keel - a flat blade on the bottom of yachts that sticks down into the water to boost stability - was partially retracted.

Some yacht safety experts believe that may have contributed to the sinking.

But the Telegraph reported that a spokesperson for Italian Sea Group, which owns the company that built Bayesian, said: "Even without the keel completely out, the ship is stable and only a massive entry of water could have caused the sinking."

What measures did the crew take against the threat of bad weather?

Captain of the Bayesian, James Cutfield, told Italian media that he couldn't have foreseen the extent of the storm , saying “We didn't see it coming”.

Luca Mercalli, the president of the Italian Meteorological Society, said on Tuesday that the crew should have made sure that all the guests were awake and assigned them lifejackets, given the poor forecast.

Will the yacht be salvaged?

Nick Barke, head of salvage operations at Boats.co.uk, a boat sales and services company, said that the "only real way of knowing" why the yacht sank will be to lift it to the surface, but that would be "expensive and complicated process", likely to involve a crane barge.

He said divers would attach straps to the boat before it is lifted upright and then hauled out of the water.

He predicted this would be "time-consuming" as "they have to do it in such a way that they don't damage anything too badly."

What do witnesses on Bayesian know?

Investigators have already started to question witnesses, including the vessel's captain James Cutfield.

Obtaining witness testimony as soon as possible will be key for the authorities, experts say.

James Wilkes, a marine investigator, told Sky News those examining the sinking will want to speak to those who survived or saw what happened "while the memories are fresh in their mind".

"I'd like to explore the circumstances in which they were able to survive the storm and the sinking, to look at the anomalies and work out the difference between those and the people that sadly didn't survive, and combine it all with technical data and simulation,” he said.

How long will the investigation take, and what is the UK’s role?

Italian authorities are leading the investigation into the sinking of the superyacht.

A criminal investigation was opened immediately after the tragedy, although no suspects have been identified publicly.

Investigators from the public prosecutor's office in the Sicilian town of Termini Imerese are collecting evidence for the probe.

The UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) - a branch of the Department for Transport - has sent a team of investigators to the scene of the sinking, as Bayesian was British-flagged.

It will produce a report into why the sinking happened and may provide recommendations to prevent future occurrences.

The MAUB does not apportion blame.

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Independent TV

Showing now | news.

Oliver Browning | Saturday 31 August 2024 11:18 BST

Essex Police rescue two people from stricken yacht after sudden storm

An Essex Police Marine Unit rescued two people earlier this month when their yacht got into difficulties off the coast of Clacton after a sudden storm whipped up.

Roy Harris and his partner Caroline Wilson were sailing back to the River Crouch from Kent on Sunday 25 August when the storm hit.

With his yacht, the Samphire, taking on water and its sail rope torn, Mr Harris radioed a PAN-PAN message to alert nearby boats and emergency services that their vessel had an urgent problem.

Sergeant Alex Southgate, PC John Perry and special constable Scott Mccabe were on Operation Wave-Breaker patrols in the force rib Sentinel when they picked up the distress call.

Working with the Dover Coastguard Operations Centre, they located the 40ft-yacht near an off-shore windfarm, four miles off Clacton.

Due to the weather conditions and the yacht’s damaged sail, the rescue journey took more than two hours in rough seas – it would usually take 45 minutes in normal conditions.

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Nach Yacht-Unglück in Italien schickte Überlebende eine beunruhigende Drei-Wörter-SMS an ihren Vater

Stand: 31.08.2024, 19:27 Uhr

Von: Moritz Bletzinger , Alina Schröder , Kai Hartwig , Robin Dittrich , Sandra Sporer

Starker Wind bringt eine Segelyacht vor Sizilien zum Kentern. Ein Passagier wird tot aufgefunden, sechs werden vermisst.

Das Wichtigste in diesem News-Ticker

• Taucher stoßen zu Kajüte der Luxusyacht durch – Tür in der „Bayesian“ jedoch blockiert
• Überlebende von Yacht-Unglück schickte beunruhigende Drei-Wörter-SMS – Vater hat seitdem nichts mehr von ihr gehört
• Video zeigt Untergang der „Bayesian“ – Luxusyacht sank innerhalb von zwei Minuten
• Vermisste werden in den Kabinen im Unterdeck der Yacht vermutet.","position":"4","storyElementPosition":"8","storyElementCount":"73"}}'> Vermisste werden in den Kabinen im Unterdeck der Yacht vermutet. – Womöglich wurden die Vermisste in den Kabinen der Luxusyacht eingesperrt.
• Toter nach Yacht-Unglück geborgen","position":"5","storyElementPosition":"8","storyElementCount":"73"}}'>Ein Toter nach Yacht-Unglück geborgen – Der Koch der Yacht wurde bereits als Todesopfer bestätigt, während weitere Menschen vermisst werden.
• Mutter und einjähriges Kind überleben das Yacht-Unglück","position":"6","storyElementPosition":"8","storyElementCount":"73"}}'> Mutter und einjähriges Kind überleben das Yacht-Unglück – Eine Mutter, die an Bord der Luxus-Yacht war, berichtet von dem tragischen Unfall.
• Yacht liegt inzwischen auf dem Meeresgrund ","position":"7","storyElementPosition":"8","storyElementCount":"73"}}'> Yacht liegt inzwischen auf dem Meeresgrund – Luxus-Yacht liegt nach dem Sinken in einer Tiefe von 49 Metern auf dem Meeresgrund.

Update vom 21. August, 14.36 Uhr: An Land wurde „Baysian“-Kapitän James Cutfield derweil über zwei Stunden lang verhört, heißt es aus italienischen Medien. Neben der Staatsanwaltschaft von Termini Imerese hat mittlerweile auch die Hafenbehörde Ermittlungen eingeleitet. Es soll die Frage geklärt werden, ob alle Sicherheitsmaßnahme an Bord der Luxusyacht eingehalten worden waren.

Taucher stoßen zu Kajüte der Luxusyacht durch

Update vom 21. August, 14.29 Uhr: Wie die italienische Küstenwache berichtet, hat ein Tauchteam erstmals eine der Kajüten in der gesunken Yacht erreicht. Durch ein Loch im Rumpf schafften es Einsatzkräfte der Feuerwehr in die „Bayesian“. Der Zugang zum Raum gelang jedoch nicht, die Tür sei durch Möbel und andere Materialien blockiert. Ein Tauchroboter unterstützt das Team.

Update vom 21. August, 13.31 Uhr: Die Segel-Reise in Italien sollte für Mike Lynch ein „Neustart“ sein, sagt der britische Politiker John Gummer dem Guardian . Tech-Milliardär Lynch war nach dem Freispruch in einem Betrugsprozess mit der „Bayesian“ unterwegs gewesen. Sein Verschwinden sorgt für große Anteilnahme in England. Gummer gibt die Hoffnung nicht auf, dass Lynch noch lebend gefunden wird: „Er (Mike Lync, d.R.) hat einen großen Beitrag für Großbritannien geleistet. Seine Unternehmen haben die britische IT in den Vordergrund gerückt – und er wollte es wieder tun. Wir beten, dass er es wieder tun kann.“

Überlebende von Yacht-Unglück schickte beunruhigende Drei-Wörter-SMS

Update vom 21. August, 12.00 Uhr: „There were deaths“, „es gab Tote“. Nur drei Wörter beinhaltete die SMS, die eine Überlebende des Yacht-Unglücks an ihren Vater schickte. Der berichtete dem Mirror von der beunruhigenden Nachricht seiner 36-jährigen Tochter. Seitdem komplette Ungewissheit für den Briten. Der Mann erzählt: „Ich habe ihr zurückgeschrieben, aber sie hat mir seitdem keine Updates zu vermissten oder geretteten Personen gegeben.“

Wetterexperte Kachelmann: Yacht „Bayesian“ hätte auf Unwetter in Italien vorbereitet sein müssen

Update vom 21. August, 11.48 Uhr: Hatte die „Bayesian“ beim Unwetter vor Sizilien wirklich keine Chance? Wetterexperte Jörg Kachelmann glaubt das nicht, er spricht von „Fahrlässigkeit“ an Bord . Wettermodellen haben den Sturm prognostiziert und ein Gewitter fegte schon rund eineinhalb Stunden über die Region. Eigentlich genug Zeit, um zu reagieren, meint der Meteorologe.

Update vom 21. August, 11.41 Uhr: Mittlerweile ist ein Team britischer Ermittler in Porticello angekommen, meldet der Guardian . Noch am Mittwoch sollen sie eine „vorläufige Einschätzung“ vornehmen. An der Suche nach den Vermissten sollen die Briten laut italienischer Küstenwache nicht beteiligt sein.

Video zeigt Untergang der „Bayesian“

Update vom 21. August, 9.56 Uhr : Wie konnte die Luxus-Yacht „Bayesian“ überhaupt sinken? Auf Video ist zu sehen, wie das Segelschiff mit einer Länge von 56 Meter in zwei Minuten vom Meer verschlungen wird. Zum Zeitpunkt des Unglücks am Montagmorgen herrschten extreme Wetterbedingungen vor Porticello. Doch ein Sturm dürfte nicht das tragische Ende einer Segelyacht in dieser Klasse bedeuteten. Der Rumpf der „Bayesian“ sei intakt geblieben, so Paolo Cori einer der weltweit führenden Experten für Segel- und Rennboote in today.it . Seiner Auffassung nach sei die Position des Schiffs-Kiels zu überprüfen.

„Bei einem 9-Meter-Kiel wäre die Bayesian vielleicht umgekippt, aber ohne zu kentern“, sagt Cori. Es sei wichtig zu prüfen, ob ein Bullauge am Rumpf offen oder die Fenster in der Lounge kaputt gewesen seien. Auch der über 71 Meter hohe Aluminiummast im Verhältnis zu Länge des Segelschiffs könnte in Extremsituationen, wie dieser zu einem kritischen Problem werden. Der Mast sei allerdings ein charakteristisches Element der „Bayesian“, betont der Experte. 2009 wurde es als das beste Kreuzfahrtschiff der Welt bezeichnet.

Ähnlich sieht das Bootsbauer Jan Maas in der FAZ . „Ein intaktes Schiff würde sicherlich nicht ohne Weiteres auf die Seite kippen und sinken. Es ist zu vermuten, dass es zu Schäden gekommen ist, die die Stabilität beeinträchtigt haben. Wenn das Schiff erst auf der Seite liegt, kann Wasser eindringen und den Auftrieb der Yacht so stark mindern, dass sie untergeht“, sagt Maas im FAZ-Interview. Bei dem Alumast handle es sich um eine ausgereifte Technik. Ein Rigg bestehe allerdings aus vielen Komponenten. „Wenn da ein Einzelteil versagt, kann es zu einer Kettenreaktion kommen.“

Das ganze Schiff wurde nach hohen Sicherheitsvorschriften gebaut. Eine Werft wie Perini Navi habe viel Erfahrung. Bei plötzlich auftretenden Wettersituationen könne es schwierig sein, den Anker zu lichten oder zu kappen, wie Beobachtungen aus der Vergangenheit zeigten.

Yacht-Drama vor Sizilien: Suche nach Vermissten geht weiter

Update vom 21. August, 5.50 Uhr: Die Suche nach den Vermissten der Yacht „Bayesian“ blieb bislang ergebnislos. Den Tauchern sei es gelungen, durch ein Glasfenster in den Rumpf des Bootes einzudringen – jedoch nicht in die Kabinen. Dies könne einige Zeit dauern, da Eingänge blockiert würden, berichtet das Portal Giornale di Sicilia . Zudem erschwere die Position der Yacht den Einsatz. Dieses liegt derzeit auf der Steuerbordseite.

Inzwischen ist ein bedrückendes Video aufgetaucht, das den Untergang der Luxusyacht vor der Küste Siziliens zeigt. Die Überwachungskamera einer Villa in Porticello nahm diese Szenen auf. Darauf zu sehen ist deutlich der Mast der „Bayesian“, im Vordergrund sind kleinere Boote zu sehen, es scheint in Strömen zu regnen. Innerhalb weniger Zeit verschwindet die Yacht von der Bildfläche. „In nur sechzig Sekunden kann man sehen, wie das Schiff verschwindet“, sagte der Besitzer des Anwesens gegenüber der italienischen Nachrichtenagentur Ansa.

Taucher suchen nach Vermissten der gesunkenen Luxusyacht vor Sizilien

Update vom 20. August, 21.01 Uhr: Am Dienstag haben Taucher die Suche nach den sechs vermissten Insassen der vor Sizilien gesunkenen Luxusyacht fortgesetzt. Im Einsatz an der in 50 Metern Tiefe am Meeresgrund liegenden Yacht sind Spezialisten der Feuerwehr, die für Tauchgänge auf beengtem Raum ausgebildet sind. Ein erster Tauchgang der aus Rom und Sardinien angereisten Spezialisten verlief nach Angaben der Feuerwehr ergebnislos, weil Möbelstücke den Zugang zum Inneren der Jacht versperrten.

Bei der Suche nach den Vermissten ist wegen der Tiefe, in der das gesunkene Schiff liegt, jeder Tauchgang auf zwölf Minuten begrenzt, wie Feuerwehrsprecher Luca Cari berichtete. Zwei Minuten davon sind für das Auf- und Abtauchen vorgesehen. Mehrere der jetzt beteiligten Spezialisten waren nach den Worten von Marco Tilotta vom Tauchteam der Feuerwehr von Palermo bereits am Wrack des Kreuzfahrschiffs „Costa Concordia“ im Einsatz, das 2012 vor der Küste der Toskana gesunken war. Damals waren 32 Menschen ums Leben gekommen.

Yacht-Unglück in Italien: Suche nach Vermissten dauert an – Einsatzkräfte erklären problematische Rettung

Die Bemühungen konzentrieren sich laut Tilotta darauf, in die Wohn- und Schlafräume der auf der Seite liegenden Yacht vorzustoßen. „Die Räume im Inneren eines Boots sind sehr beengt“, schilderte Feuerwehrsprecher Cari. „Wenn man auf ein Hindernis stößt, ist es sehr schwierig zu umgehen, genauso schwer ist es, Alternativrouten zu finden.“

Die mit zehn Besatzungsmitgliedern und zwölf Passagieren besetzte 56 Meter lange Luxusyacht „Bayesian“ war in der Nacht zum Montag in der Nähe von Porticello vor der Küste Siziliens in einem Sturm gesunken. Ursache war eine Wasserhose, eine Art Tornado über dem Meer. 15 Passagiere und Besatzungsmitglieder konnten gerettet werden. Eine Leiche wurde geborgen, sechs weitere Insassen des Schiffs werden vermisst. Bei dem Toten handelt es sich Medienberichten zufolge um den Koch.

Update vom 20. August, 18.00 Uhr: Nach dem Yacht-Unglück in Italien geht die Suche nach den sechs Vermissten „unvermindert weiter“. Das teilte die italienische Küstenwache laut Sky News mit. Demnach würden derzeit „Taucher prüfen, ob es möglich ist, sicher in das Wrack einzudringen, eine Operation, die durch die Tiefe und die Lage des Rumpfes auf dem Meeresgrund in etwa 50 Metern Tiefe, eine halbe Meile vom Hafen von Porticello entfernt, erschwert wird“.

Im Einsatz seien bei der großangelegten Suchaktion fünf Patrouillenboote und ein Hubschrauber der Küstenwache, ein Militärhubschrauber, Taucher, ein ferngesteuertes Fahrzeug, Marineeinheiten und Höhlentaucher.

Zudem wurde die Identität von zwei Überlebenden des Yacht-Unglücks bekannt: Es handelt sich um die beiden Südafrikanerinnen Leah Randall und Katja Chicken. Sie waren laut Sky News als Besatzungsmitglieder an Bord der Bayesian.

Update vom 20. August, 14.10 Uhr: Nach dem tragischen Unglück vor der Küste Siziliens gelten noch immer sechs Personen als vermisst. Die Suche nach ihnen gestaltet sich jedoch als schwierig. Den vom italienischen Festland beorderten Spezialtauchern gelang es laut Feuerwehr, in das Innere des Wracks vorzudringen und einige Räume unterhalb der Kommandobrücke zu untersuchen. Zahlreiche Hindernisse versperren ihnen jedoch den Weg, auch die Enge stellt sie vor Schwierigkeiten. 

Vermisste werden in den Kabinen im Unterdeck der Yacht vermutet.

Die Taucherteams der Feuerwehr bestehen aus zwei spezialisierten Höhlentauchern, die zwölf Minuten in der Tiefe bleiben, bevor sie aufsteigen, und sich ständig mit einem weiteren Team abwechseln. Derzeit wird geprüft, das Wrack unter Wasser zu öffnen, um sich Zugang zu verschaffen. Der Zugang zu den Kabinen im Unterdeck, in denen die Vermissten vermutet werden, ist noch immer versperrt.

Wie das italienische Portal Giornale di Sicilia berichtet, sollen Taucher bereits ein Loch im Rumpf des Segelbootes geöffnet haben. Durch diesen Spalt sollen Rettungskräfte nun versuchen, in das Innere des versunkenen Bootes zu gelangen. Noch immer ist jedoch unklar, ob sich die Vermissten tatsächlich im Inneren des versunkenen Schiffes befinden.

Luxus-Yacht kentert vor Italien: Mehrere Personen verschollen – Milliardärs-Ehefrau schildert Szenen an Bord

Update vom 20. August, 6.20 Uhr: Angela Bacares, die gerettete Frau des irischen Milliardärs Mike Lynch, schildert nach dem Untergang der Yacht dramatische Szenen. Das Unglück habe sich demnach frühmorgens ereignet. Sie und ihr Mann seien um vier Uhr aufgewacht, weil das Boot plötzlich „kippte“, wie die 57-Jährige der Zeitung La Repubblica sagte.

Ein Toter nach Yacht-Unglück geborgen

Sie sei aufgestanden, um nachzusehen, ob es einen Grund zur Sorge gibt. Dann hätten die starken Schwankungen für erste Schäden gesorgt, Glas sei zersplittert. Die Scherben verletzten mutmaßlich Bacares an den Füßen, weshalb sie aktuell nicht laufen könne und auf einen Rollstuhl angewiesen sei, berichtet die italienische Zeitung. Ein Video zeigt das Ausmaß des Sturms .

Ein Toter wurde bereits bestätigt, es soll sich um den Koch der Yacht handeln. Mehrere Personen werden noch vermisst, darunter auch Yacht-Inhaber Mike Lynch sowie seine Tochter Hannah (18). Zwei Tage vor dem Yacht-Unglück soll ein Bekannter des Milliardärs bei einem Autounfall ums Leben gekommen sein.

Update vom 19. August, 21.30 Uhr: Mit Taucherteams und Flugzeugen wird weiterhin nach den sechs vermissten Passagieren gesucht. Zu diesen zählt auch der Besitzer des gesunkenen Schiffes, Mike Lynch (59), sowie seine Tochter Hannah (18), wie das Giornale di Sicilia berichtet. Lynchs Frau gehört zur Gruppe der Geretteten.

Neben den Lynchs handelte es sich bei den Passagieren um Mitarbeiter von Lynchs Firmen, die die Fahrt mit der Luxusyacht als Preis gewonnen hatten, so Ansa . Insgesamt 15 der 22 Passagiere der Yacht konnten gerettet werden. Einer wurde tot geborgen.

Luxus-Yacht sinkt vor Italien: Mehrere Personen werden Vermisst – Suchaktion eingeleitet

Erstmeldung vom 19. August: Santa Flavia – Wie die Küstenwache in Porticello nahe Palermo bestätigte, ereignete sich ein tragisches Bootsunglück in Italien. Dabei kam eine Person ums Leben, während sechs weitere noch vermisst werden. Eine Mutter, die das Unglück überlebte, berichtete von den dramatischen Momenten, die sich nach dem Kentern der Luxusyacht abspielten.

„Viele schrien um uns herum“ – Mutter berichtet von dramatischen Szenen bei Yacht-Unglück

Die 35-jährige Frau und ihre einjährige Tochter befanden sich an Bord der Luxusyacht „Bayesian“, als das Unglück geschah. „Es war schrecklich. In wenigen Minuten wurde das Boot von einem sehr starken Wind getroffen und sank kurz darauf“, zitiert die italienische Nachrichtenagentur Ansa die Mutter. Sie berichtete weiter, dass es 11 Personen gelang, in das aufgeblasene Rettungsboot zu gelangen.

Mutter und einjähriges Kind überleben das Yacht-Unglück

Die Mutter schilderte, wie sie ihre Tochter beinahe im Meer verloren hätte. „Zwei Sekunden lang verlor ich das kleine Mädchen im Meer, dann umarmte ich sie sofort wieder inmitten der Wut der Wellen. Ich hielt sie an mich gedrückt, während das Meer stürmte. Viele schrien um uns herum“, beschrieb sie den Kampf gegen die Wellen. Aus dem Krankenhaus wurde verlautbart, dass es dem Mädchen gut gehe. Die Mutter erlitt lediglich einige Schürfwunden, die genäht werden mussten. Erst vor wenigen Wochen mussten Passagiere von einer brennenden Luxusyacht gerettet werden .

Luxus-Yacht mit 22 Personen an Bord kentert: Sechs Passagiere werden noch vermisst

Aus dem Krankenhaus wurde berichtet, dass Mutter und Tochter medizinisch versorgt und psychologisch betreut wurde: „Sie sind sehr erschüttert. Sie haben ein traumatisches Erlebnis durchgemacht.“ Nachdem das Kentern des Schiffes bekannt wurde, wurden zunächst sieben Personen vermisst. Eine davon wurde jedoch kurz darauf tot aus dem Wasser geborgen. Insgesamt befanden sich 22 Menschen an Bord, von denen 15 lebend an Land gebracht wurden.

Yacht liegt inzwischen auf dem Meeresgrund

Die gekenterte Luxusyacht gehörte dem Tech-Unternehmer Mike Lynch. Der 59-jährige Milliardär, der in seiner Heimat als der britische Bill Gates bezeichnet wird, gilt ebenfalls noch als vermisst . Sein Schiff liegt nun in einer Tiefe von 49 Metern auf dem Meeresgrund. Italienische Medien berichteten, dass mehrere Leichen in den Kabinen von Rettungstauchern entdeckt wurden, dies wurde jedoch bisher nicht offiziell bestätigt. Anfang des Jahres kenterte beinahe ein Schiff mit 120 Menschen an Bord . ( rd/sp/dpa )

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy sacks Ukrainian air force commander after F-16 crash

While Kyiv says it has taken more territory in its Kursk incursion, Russian state media is reporting that Moscow's ongoing operations in eastern Ukraine are continuing towards key strategic settlements.

By Kieren Williams, news reporter

Friday 30 August 2024 21:54, UK

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Ukraine's air force commander has been dismissed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after an F-16 crash earlier this week, that an MP claimed was "friendly fire".

Lieutenant Colonel Oleksiy Mes was killed while defending Ukraine's skies from a huge Russian aerial attack at the start of the week.

Ukrainian MP Mariana Bezuhla claimed the jet was hit in an act of friendly fire by a US Patriot missile.

In response, air force commander Mykola Oleschuk said her words were a "tool to discredit the top military leadership".

But the air force did not directly deny that the F-16 was hit by a Patriot missile.

Now, Mr Zelenskyy has dismissed Lt. Gen. Oleshchuk and US experts are aiding the investigation into the crash.

The order was published on the presidential website.

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"We need to protect people. Protect personnel. Take care of all our soldiers," Mr Zelenskyy said in an address minutes after the order was published.

He added that Ukraine needs to strengthen its army on the command level.

Lt. Gen. Anatolii Kryvonozhko was appointed acting air force commander, the army's general staff said.

Elsewhere in the war in Ukraine:

• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has renewed calls to Western allies to allow long-range attacks on Russia • In the Kursk incursion, Ukraine's top commander claimed his forces advanced 2km in the past 24 hours • Russian forces have taken control of more settlements in eastern Ukraine, according to state media • European Union defence ministers agreed to boost their training programme for Ukrainian troops • A Russian newspaper publisher was sentenced to eight years after reporting on Moscow's attacks on Ukraine, according to rights activists • And the Kremlin insists it has "no worries" as President Vladimir Putin visits Mongolia, a country that is a member of the International Criminal Court, which last year issued a warrant for his arrest

Girl, 14, among the dead in Kharkiv attack

A 14-year-old girl was killed in a Russian attack on Kharkiv, Ukrainian officials have said.

At least six people were killed in all, as a 12-storey building was hit alongside a playground, in the industrial district.

The Russian-guided bomb attack in the northeastern city also left 55 people injured.

About 20 of the injured were in severe condition, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

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"Rescue operations are currently under way in Kharkiv where Russian bombs hit. Unfortunately, there are dead people. Among them is a child, a girl, Sofia. She would have turned 15 this fall," Mr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address.

He also renewed his calls to Western allies to allow him to use their weapons in long-range attacks on Russia.

"We need decisions that can be made by our partners, by those countries on whom it depends whether we have the ability to destroy Russian military aircraft - exactly where they are based, exactly where the elimination of these terrorists and their aircraft can be the most effective," he added.

Ukraine's second-largest city has long been a target for Russia, ever since its full-scale invasion in February 2022.Video from the site of the Kharkiv attack, shared by Mr Zelenskyy's chief of staff, showed huge flames and black smoke rising from the upper floors of the building.

The US ambassador to Ukraine described the Kharkiv attack as a "war crime" and called for Russia to be held accountable.

This afternoon, Russia struck an apartment building in Kharkiv with a guided aerial bomb, killing several and injuring many, including children. Our thoughts are with the people of Kharkiv as rescue operations are underway. Russia must be held accountable for these war crimes. pic.twitter.com/Osn7HNr3fc — Ambassador Bridget A. Brink (@USAmbKyiv) August 30, 2024

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Ukrainian authorities said Friday's attack involved five aerial-guided bombs launched from planes in Russia's Belgorod region.

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