Sunken yacht search operation was particularly difficult, lead diver says

Bentivoglio Fiandra, chief of the Palermo fire brigade (right) told reporters that divers were faced with ‘very little visibility due to the weather conditions’ (Jonathan Brady/PA)

A top Italian firefighting diver has described the “particularly difficult” search and rescue mission after the sinking of a luxury yacht off the coast of Sicily.

Seven people died after the Bayesian sank in a storm near Porticello at about 5am local time on Monday, including British tech mogul Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah.