Mike Lynch yacht latest: Survivors could be alive inside Bayesian due to ‘air pockets’ as divers enter hull

The missing six from the sunken British superyacht could still be alive in air pockets, an engineer has claimed.

An unexpected violent storm sank the luxury vessel, called Bayesianin, in the early hours of Monday. At least one man has been confirmed dead and six are still missing while 15 survived.

Nick Sloane, who worked on the Costa Concordia salvage operation in 2012, said rescue divers are entering a “critical” 24 hours to rescue anybody who might have survived.

His comments come as Italian coastguard say they believe the missing six are trapped in the ship.

Mr Sloane told Sky News: “They’ve got a very small window of time to try to find people stuck inside with hopefully an air pocket, and they could be rescued. You’ve got a maximum of two to three days to try to get someone out, so the next 24 hours are critical.

“If the yacht is on its side, it might have more air pockets than if it’s upright. She’s got quite a large keel, and that will deflect and put her on her side, I’m sure.”

He continued: “We think they are still inside the boat, that is our very hard idea. Our search and rescue activity by sea and air has gone on for around 36 hours.”

The missing tourists are billionaire Mr Lynch; his daughter, Hannah Lynch; Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer; his wife, Judy Bloomer; Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo; and his wife, Neda Morvillo.

Mr Lynch had reportedly invited his lawyers and friends to celebrate a recent legal victory that cleared him of fraud accusations in the US.

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