sicily yacht capsize reside british passengers twister

Good morning, if you’re just joining us we are providing live coverage after a yacht carrying British passengers capsized off the coast of Sicily at around 5am local time on Monday.

Here’s everything you need to know:

• A luxury 160ft sailing yacht, called the Bayesian (pictured above), carrying 22 people sank off the coast of Sicily at around 5am local time after bad weather including a tornado was reported in the area
• Fifteen of the 22 people on board, including a one-year-old child and its mother, were rescued by coast guard patrol boats and firefighters.
• But seven people, four British nationals, two Americans and a Canadian national, remain missing with a search and rescue effort under way to recover them
• Expert divers have already dived to reach the hull, 49 metres below the water and about half a mile from the coast, according to Italian media.
• Nautical maps show the last known location of the Bayesian just after 2am local time, when it was at anchor.

Stick with us throughout the day as we bring you the latest on this breaking news story.

by Elena Salvoni

Four British nationals and two Americans are among at least seven people missing after a 180ft yacht sank off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of this morning, Italian media reports.

Fifteen of the 22 people on board, including a one-year-old child and its mother, were rescued by coast guard patrol boats and firefighters.

The passengers were mainly British, according to reports, while citizens from New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Canada, the US and two dual British and French nationals were also said to be on board.

The group are reported to have been tourists on holiday in Sicily, and the boat sailed under a British flag.

The vessel is believed to have taken on water after a tornado hit the area off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo, at around 5am.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage after a 160ft yacht carrying British passengers sank off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of this morning.

Italian media is reporting four Britons are among seven people missing after the tourist boat was struck by a tornado off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo, at around 5am local time.

We will bring you the latest developments on this breaking story.