Sunday, 22 December 2024
Sunday, 22 December 2024
Yacht shipwreck near Sicily
A violent storm sank a luxury yacht named Bayesian, moored off the coast of Sicily onMonday. The 56-meter-long yacht went down within minutes, causing one confirmed death and leaving six others missing, including Mike Lynch, the British tech entrepreneur. This yacht’s sinking has raised concerns about the growing dangers of sailing in the Mediterranean.
Impact of climate change
Climate experts pin global warming as the single, biggest factor to the increasing frequency of violent storms in the Mediterranean. As per a Reuters report, the sea surface temperature around Sicily before the shipwreck was recorded at around 30 degrees celsius, nearly three degrees above normal. Luca Mercalli, president of Italy's meteorological society, explained that this higher temperature creates a significant energy source that fuels these storms.
Skippers concerns
Experienced skippers, like Massimo Aramu, who runs a sailing school near Rome, have also noticed the changes in the Mediterranean. Aramu, currently sailing around Greece, expressed discomfort navigating the Tyrrhenian coast around Sicily and the Balearic Islands because of the "often critical situations with little warning.” Aramu told the Reuters.
Comparison to the Caribbean weather
Giuliano Gallo, a former skipper and author on sailing, observed the Mediterranean is becoming increasingly unpredictable, resembling the Caribbean's hazardous conditions during certain times of the year.
Previous storms and flash floods
Recent years have seen similar storms across the Mediterranean. Last week, a storm hit the Balearic Islands, washing several yachts ashore. A year ago, a supercharged Mediterranean storm, known as "medicane" caused flash floods in Libya, causing thousands of deaths.
Ship captain’s comment
Karsten Borner, the captain of a boat moored next to the Bayesian, described the storm as "very violent, very intense", with conditions resembling a tornado. Borner said the unusually warm waters of the Mediterranean, exacerbated by frequent heat waves, are likely contributing to the severity of these storms. "The water is way too hot for the Mediterranean, and this causes for sure heavy storms," he told Reuters.
