Fact Check: A diver died during earlier attempts to recover the sunken yacht.

Fact Check: "A diver died during earlier attempts to recover the sunken yacht."

What We Know

A diver tragically died during preliminary operations to recover the sunken superyacht Bayesian, owned by British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, off the coast of northern Sicily. The incident occurred while the diver was underwater in Porticello, and local police reported that the exact cause of death was still under investigation (BBC). The diver, identified as a 39-year-old Dutch national named Rob Huijben, was part of a salvage team working on the recovery operation (Dive Magazine). This operation was initiated following the yacht's sinking during severe weather conditions in August 2022, which resulted in the deaths of seven individuals, including Lynch and his daughter (AP News).

Analysis

The claim that a diver died during attempts to recover the sunken yacht is substantiated by multiple reputable sources. The BBC and Reuters both reported on the incident, confirming the diver's identity and the circumstances surrounding his death. The diver was engaged in cutting operations on the yacht's mast, a critical step in the recovery process (CBS News).

The reliability of these sources is high, as they are established news organizations known for their journalistic standards. The BBC and Reuters, in particular, have a long-standing reputation for accurate reporting. Additionally, the incident was covered by Dive Magazine, which specializes in diving news, further corroborating the details of the diver's death.

While the exact cause of the diver's death remains unclear, the consensus among these sources confirms that the diver's death occurred during the salvage operations, thus validating the claim.

Conclusion

Verdict: True
The claim that a diver died during earlier attempts to recover the sunken yacht is true, as confirmed by multiple credible sources reporting on the incident. The diver's death is directly linked to the salvage operations for the Bayesian yacht, which had previously sunk in a tragic accident.

Fact Check: A diver died during earlier attempts to recover the sunken yacht.