One dead and six people missing after tornado sinks luxury yacht off Sicily

One dead and six people missing after tornado sinks luxury yacht off Sicily

One body has been recovered and six people are missing, according to Italian authorities, after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Sicily.

A tornado hit the vessel around 5 a.m. Monday, according to a spokesperson for Italy’s Coast Guard. The yacht was anchored about a half a mile from the port of Porticello on the Mediterranean island.

Fifteen people have been rescued from the scene and one child was airlifted to the children’s hospital in Palermo. The captain is among the survivors, according to the Coast Guard spokesperson for Italy’s Coast Guard.

The 56-meter yacht called the “Bayesian,” which flies under a British flag, had mostly British passengers and crew, in addition to two Anglo-French, one New Zealander, one Irish and one Sri Lankan, the spokesperson told CNN.

The Italian fire brigade said its divers had reached the yacht’s hull 49 meters (160 feet) below sea level, according to a press statement. The brigade also dispatched helicopters to bolster the search operation.