Bayesian yacht sinking: how are superyachts tracked, where was it and do they have black boxes?

• Tech tycoon Mike Lynch among those missing after sinking of the Bayesian yacht. 
• It was reportedly anchored off the coast of Sicily. 
• A ‘violent storm’ is said to have caused the sinking of the vessel. 
• Authorities have been searching for six people, four of which are Britons. 

The search for six people who are missing after the sinking of a luxury yacht off the coast of Sicily is on-going. One body has been recovered so far, while British tech tycoon Mike Lynch is said to be among those still unaccounted for after the Bayesian sank. 

The missing include four Britons and two Americans, five of whom have been identified publicly. It includes Mr Lynch, who was recently acquited of fraud after a trial in the US over the sale of Autonmy to HP in 2011, his daughter Hannah and Jonathan Bloomer, who is Morgan Stanley’s International chair. 

But as the search continues, you might be wondering if superyachts like the Bayesian can be tracked. Here’s all you need to know: 

How are yachts tracked? 

Many boats and vessels of all sizes are now fitted with transponders that track their movements. Private yachts are among the ships that can be tracked, which may prove useful in a disaster scenario like the sinking of the Bayesian, 

The location data is sent out and picked up by a system used across the maritime industry called the Automatic Identification System (AIS). And the data is used by ships out on the water to make sure they are aware of what other vessels are out there, to avoid any unpleasant surprises. 

The website UP42 has a great explainer on how the system works, writing that it “is an automated tracking system that displays other vessels in the vicinity” and that it offers “real-time information”. 

“AIS uses transponders on ships for the tracking and tracing of vessels—allowing the automatic electronic exchange of nautical data between ships and shore installations. Vessels fitted with AIS transmit and receive information on a periodic basis from other ships with AIS,” the website adds. 

The data is split into three different categories: Static information (data about the vessel, its IMO number, etc), Dynamic information (live data from out on the water) and Voyage information (destination, type of cargo, etc). The info is transmitted at regular intervals, including every six minutes for the static and voyage data. 

Some websites use this information to keep track of superyachts, so users are aware of the movements and if they will be able to spot them in their area. 

Where was the Bayesian? 

BBC News reports that the superyacht was reportedly anchored to the sea bed outside the harbour at Porticello, which is on the northern coast of Sicily. It is a small fishing village a few miles to the east of Palermo, the capital of the island. 

Witnesses have told an Italian news agency that the Bayesian had its anchor down when it was hit by a “violent storm”. Because the yacht was not at sea at the time of the sinking, the authorities did not have to comb through tracking data to find its last known location to narrow down the search, people already knew where the boat was. 

Do yachts have black boxes? 

If you’ve ever watched one of those aeroplane crash investigation shows, you’ve probably heard the term ‘black box’ a few times at least. It is a device, which ironically is not actually black instead they are usually orange, that tracks and logs data during a flight and can be analysed, if recovered, after a disaster. 

But do ships/ boats have a similar feature? Well, actually, there is a black box equivalent for seafaring vessels - it is called a voyage data recorder.

The IMO (International Maritime Organisation) requires them to be fitted on passenger ships and ships other than passenger ships of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed on or after 1 July 2002. VDRs must record and store data for a minimum of 12 hours. 

Should all vehicles whether they are on the ground, water or sky be required to have a tracker fitted? Share your thoughts with our tech writer by emailing: [email protected].