Bayesian captain under investigation for shipwreck and manslaughter in Sicily yacht disaster

Of the 22 people onboard the yacht, seven died in the sinking, including UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch, Report informs referring to Euronews.

Italian prosecutors have named James Cutfield, the captain of the Bayesian yacht that sunk last Monday, as a suspect in its manslaughter investigation into the deaths of the seven people who perished.

Prosecutors from the town of Termini Imerese in the Metropolitan area of Palermo, Sicily interrogated Cutfield for two hours on Sunday, marking his second round of questioning in the past week as part of the ongoing probe into the disaster.

The hearing lasted more than two hours, during which the authorities questioned Cutfield about several key issues: whether the tender door — separating the tender room from the engine room — had been opened, the position of the movable centreboard, and the exact timing of the events that transpired.

Uncertainty remains about the 32-minute delay between the vessel's sinking and the launch of the signal flare alerting others to the danger.

Authorities have also sought clarification on other points, including the communication between the captain and the crew member responsible for weather warnings, the condition of the ship, and the operation of the mechanism used to seal the ship's doors.

Cutfield was initially questioned as a witness, but his status has now changed to suspect following other witness testimonies and a review of underwater images of the wreck.

More crew members may also be investigated in the coming days.