One man has died and six people are still missing after the British luxury yacht Bayesian sank in unusual weather conditions in the waters off the Sicilian capital of Palermo.

At the time of the tragedy, the superyacht had 22 passengers on board, including 12 passengers and 10 crew members. A severe storm hit at around 5am on Monday morning, causing waterspouts. 15 people were rescued by a nearby Dutch ship, while authorities continue to search for the six missing passengers.

What happened to the Bayesian yacht?

According to witnesses, the Bayesian was hit by a violent storm while anchored on the seabed off the port of Porticello. The force of the storm was so great that waterspouts, rotating columns of air and fog, appeared above the sea surface. The ship capsized a few minutes after the storm hit.

When the anchor dropped, it is speculated that the Bayesian’s aluminum mast broke in half, causing the yacht to break in half and the ship to lose balance and eventually sink into the sea. However, divers dispute this claim, saying that the ship lies almost completely intact on the sea floor. Others speculate that the huge sail may have contributed to the yacht losing its balance in the fierce winds.

Bayesian search for survivors: What we know

The Palermo Coast Guard is continuing to search for survivors. Divers are trying to access the cabins, but they only have 10 minutes per dive to search before they must return to the surface. Authorities believe the six missing passengers are inside the ship. Searches using helicopters and boats combing the area have failed to find any trace of the Bayesian’s missing passengers.

What do we know about the passengers on board the Bayesian?

On Monday morning, the body of a man was recovered. His identity has not yet been officially announced, but it is believed to be the yacht’s cook. Among the other passengers are Mike Lynch, a 59-year-old tech entrepreneur and owner of the superyacht. His 18-year-old daughter Hannah is also missing.

Morgan Stanley International Bank CEO Jonathan Bloomer and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo were also on board the ship and remain missing.

Angela Baceres, Mr Lynch’s full-back, was one of 15 people rescued early yesterday morning. Eight others are being treated in hospital for injuries sustained in the tragedy.

Three other known passengers were Charlotte Golunksi, her husband and their young daughter Sofia. All were rescued and unharmed.

According to initial reports, the ship was mainly occupied by British nationals. However, there were also people from New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Ireland, as well as people with British-French nationality on board.

The Bayesian: A luxury superyacht

The superyacht Bayesian can accommodate up to 12 guests in six luxury suites and can be rented for up to 195,000 euros (£166,000) a week. The name Bayesian is said to be a reference to Bayesian theory, on which Mr Lynch wrote his PhD thesis, and the software that made his fortune.