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The Best Yacht To Buy In GTA Online

There is a small fleet of yachts to buy in GTA Online but one is more worth your money than the others.

By Joey Carr on July 5, 2023 at 12:02PM PDT

There is perhaps not a clearer sign of wealth in GTA Online than owning a yacht. As in real life, a yacht is the ultimate flex of luxury in the world of Los Santos. When Rockstar Games introduced the Galaxy Super Yacht fleet, they released three different yachts for players to purchase. All three of these gigantic boats are well worth your hard-earned GTA cash, as they all boast amenities as far as the eye can see. The main differences in the yachts lie in their price and how many features they have. However, as you'll see, those features don't drift too far apart from yacht to yacht.

Since the yachts start at the sky-high price of $6 million, players have asked if going for the most expensive yacht is actually worth it or if they can get by with the least expensive. It's a similar question that players have asked in regards to cars, jets, and any other property available in the online world of Los Santos. In this guide, we'll be going over all three of the yachts in GTA Online and determining which is the best to buy based on all of the factors.

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Kicking us off is The Orion, the least expensive yacht in GTA Online. Of course, the term "least expensive" is used lightly here, as The Orion still costs a whopping $6 million in GTA cash. The Orion, and the other two yachts, are equipped with a 210-foot body and the same basic outside appearance as the two more expensive Galaxy Super Yachts in the game. There's a sun deck on top for sunbathing or throwing parties but no hot tub, unfortunately. Also on the exterior is one single helipad and storage for two vehicles, the Shitzu Tropic and Speedophile Seashark jetski. On the interior, The Orion is equipped with three luxurious guest rooms. Like the rest of the yachts, you can't actually drive The Orion. What you can do is pay your captain to park it somewhere and have it ready for you when you want to come aboard at a certain location. You can also complete six A Superyacht Life missions to reduce your overall operating costs and make some money with your yacht in the process.

The one aspect of The Orion that's truly lacking is that it doesn't spawn with a helicopter and only has one helipad. While not a huge problem, the other two yachts on this list have these aspects over The Orion. If you're in the market for a yacht and can spend $6 million, then you can likely also spend another million for the next yacht on this list. This could make The Orion obsolete unless you're truly strapped for cash.

For one million more than The Orion ($7 million), you can own The Pisces. Compared to The Orion, The Pisces spawns with a helicopter and has two helipads, a hot tub, and space for five vehicles. Those vehicles are the Buckingham Swift (helicopter), Pegassi Speeder, Nagasaki Dinghy, and two Speedophile Seashark jetskis. Aside from the Speeder, the yacht will spawn with all of the aforementioned vehicles, letting you and some friends get to shore or to another location with ease. Having the extra helipad is also nice to either have a friend land on the yacht or to keep a spare in case something happens to your first.

$7 million is considered the sweet spot for the line of Galaxy Super Yachts. You'll see why when we go over the last yacht on this list.

The Aquarius

The big daddy of them all, the Aquarius is the last and most expensive yacht on this list. The final Galaxy Super Yacht of the fleet costs an eye-gouging $8 million. This makes it the most expensive piece of property you can buy in GTA Online by a country mile. The Aquarius has everything The Pisces has, including the two helipads and hot tub, but has room for seven vehicles instead of five. However, those two extra vehicles are two additional Seashark jetskis, which is really only good for if you have half a dozen friends on your yacht at the same time.

The main point of The Aquarius in GTA Online is to flex on other players. Its price point is relatively unwarranted due to the lack of amenities compared to The Pisces. However, if you're a collector of the most luxurious items in Los Santos, The Aquarius needs to be your next purchase.

The verdict

As you might have expected from the descriptions of each yacht, The Pisces is what we consider to be the best Galaxy Super Yacht in GTA Online. It features a great price point and is a huge step up from The Orion at one million dollars more. The Aquarius simply doesn't offer enough compared to The Pisces to warrant it being the best bang for your buck. Unless you truly want to show off your wealth, going with The Pisces is the best option in GTA Online.

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GTA Online Player Shows How Broken the Game's AI Is

How gta online can foreshadow the plot of gta 6, black myth: wukong - prisoner quest guide (how to get chu-bai spear), quick links, what is a superyacht life, mission 1: overboard, mission 2: salvage, mission 3: all hands, mission 4: icebreaker, mission 5: bon voyage.

Unlike most entries in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, Grand Theft Online allows players to breathe life into their characters and explore Southern San Andreas as their own crime lords-to-be. Now outside the confines of the stories of usual Grand Theft Auto protagonists, GTA Online players are left to their own devices to make a name for themselves with a rising criminal empire. That, or just go have explosive mayhem with their friends.

RELATED: GTA Online: Most Important Updates In The Game's History

Thankfully, players who want a genuine GTA experience can rely on missions to give them a semblance of sanity in the game’s setting. One such quest is “A Superyacht Life,” which in itself is a series of six missions that players can pursue with up to three friends. What makes “A Superyacht Life” one of the most memorable quest lines in the hit online installment, and how can players complete it?

Available through the Los Santos Summer Special update released in 2020, “A Superyacht Life” is a questline given to a player or up to four players. This questline is primarily set in the Galaxy Super Yacht , an expensive GTA Online vehicle that players will eventually own.

Similar to other questlines in GTA Online , the ones provided in A Superyacht Life revolve around an interconnected plot point. Players must assist the quest-giver, Captain Brendan Darcy, in various duties involving the usage of the Galaxy Super Yacht. These include undersea missions, cargo retrieval, and even fulfilling the goals of high-end clients.

Accessing The Quests

Players can access "A Superyacht Life" from the Bridge of the Galaxy Super Yacht. From here, they should head to the Captain’s Workstation to load the current mission available to them.

Alternatively, players may be able to use their smartphone to call Captain Brendan Darcy and then choose a Request Job. The current available mission in the series should be made accessible to players. Both these options are available as long as players haven’t completed the questline in full.

When players access this mission, a distressed Captain Darcy informs the player that someone has stolen the yacht’s jetskis (another expensive GTA Online vehicle ) as well as important documents related to both the Captain and the players. The documents specify that they are “permanent residents of international waters.”

First, head to the Vespucci Canals, the last known location of the joyriders. The waterworks can prove tricky ground to eliminate the thieves at first, but the area provides both decent cover and a lot of openings to shoot opponents.

RELATED: Grand Theft Auto 6: Potential Benefits Of Sticking With Multiple Protagonists

The Captain will then inform players that the thieves were part of a Puerto Del Sol yacht club, which means players have to exact revenge against them. To do this, they need to head to the yacht club and sink the 10 boats located there. Players need to do this fast, as one of the boats may attempt to sail away from danger. This second objective is tricky, as this part of the mission is done with a Wanted level that doesn’t lower. The yacht club also has medium-level Security Guards. Moreover, the mission is only completed once players lose their Wanted level as well.

After a successful encounter with thieves, the Captain sends players to their second Grand Theft Auto mission . "Salvage" resembles a more modern take on sea exploration, albeit with a dash of wanton violence. The Captain informs a player of a distress call that has come from a sunken supply ship, the Olifantus, not too far from them. Should they make it in time, they will be able to retrieve the cargo and the loot for themselves.

Retrieving Supplies

Players are first directed to a dredge barge just south of the yacht. Go underwater towards the shipwreck and slowly retrieve the supplies. Players can’t stay underwater for too long, though. They are able to rise and swim back courtesy of Rebreathers, around 10 of which are provided. Players may also use their own scuba suit for this portion of the game.

Dealing With The Kkangpae

The Captain, via a call, congratulates the player after their retrieval of the cargo. Unfortunately, the sound of glass breaking can be heard, as well as the implication that part of the cargo has been stolen. Players have to go back to the ship, only to see it hijacked by the Kkangpae. They will also notice some enemies riding Dinghies circling their yacht. The confrontation with the Kkangpae is tricky, as players find themselves surrounded. There is no time limit for rescuing the Captain though, so players can take their time.

After eliminating the Kkangpae, players will receive a call from an unknown number with the Captain on the line. He will explain that the Kkangpae took him and the bartender hostage as revenge for the yacht destruction in the previous mission. Players will be directed to a peninsula near Cape Catfish, with one area designated as a hostage site. Be careful during this portion of the mission, as the player's travel towards the peninsula will have them encounter various Kkangpae. Not only that, they need to steer clear of the hostage site, as the Captain and bartender will be executed once players are seen at a particular distance. Eliminating the hostiles stealthily will complete the mission.

The adventures of the players and the Galaxy Super Yacht take a wilder turn fitting the Grand Theft Auto name courtesy of the third mission. When players accept their mission, the Captain tells the player of a business deal they have to salvage involving the Pacific Country Club. Apparently, an unknown party has started setting club members' cars on fire, and it’s up to players to stop this. Despite its straightforward nature, the mission has a particular complexity that players need to consider.

Stealing The Tula

First, go to the LSIA to steal a Tula (an aerial firefighting plane) from the coast guard before the fire department is able to respond to the situation. When players arrive at the airport, around 10 Coast Guard members are patrolling the area. Players will notice stealth visibility cones in their minimaps, all from the Coast Guard members. Players need to steal the Tula quietly, as getting spotted will give players 2 Stars in Wanted levels.

Once players do steal the Tula, they will notice a new part of the HUD: a “Water Remaining” gauge. Players need to land on water periodically to refill it, and should do so until they have around eight water gauges. This serves as “water bombs” to wipe out the fire in the garage. After filling up the bars, players will get a text message warning them to stay out of this problem.

RELATED: Grand Theft Auto 6: Side Activities The Open World Should Include

Putting Out Fires

Players will notice eight burning cars when they arrive at the country club, all of which they have to extinguish. This becomes challenging as Kkangpae try to destroy the Tula from the ground. The added challenge here is that players only have five minutes to save all these vehicles.

When players finish this segment, the Captain will tell players that they need to go to the Pipeline Inn nearby to save yet another set of vehicles. This time around, players need to save six more vehicles within another five minutes while enemies try to destroy the Tula. After putting out all the fires, the Captain will tell players to bring the Tula back to the yacht for disposal. The mission ends when the player lands the Tula near the yacht.

Despite the difficulty of the mission, failing and restarting does get players next to the Tula without any enemies present. This allows them to simply load the Tula with water and proceed with the rest of the mission.

In the fourth mission, the Captain has begun formulating a plan for exacting vengeance against the Kkangpae for the previous mission’s kidnapping. This becomes a more action-packed take on the questline, akin to more standard missions in the title.

First, players have to go to the Fridgit Cold Storage warehouse inside the Cypress Flats. The mission will tell them to destroy all AC units that maintain the temperature of the gang’s products. During this part of the mission, the Kkangpae will attack players from Frogger choppers from the skies and from other rooftops. Players new to GTA Online need to be careful here, as they might be overwhelmed.

Next, players are asked to steal Benson, a product that the gang is currently preparing to deliver. The Captain will then tell players to deliver the product to the buyer themselves. During the process of delivery, the Kkangpae will still try to chase and attack the players from various directions and from different vehicles. The buyer is located in Del Perro’s Hedera Hotel, in an alley behind the structure. The mission is completed after players exit the vehicle.

Bon Voyage takes place during a heavy thunderstorm. At the start of this mission, the Captain tells players that the heavy rain has shut down both yacht’s engines and generators. Even the power onboard will go down, and the helicopter aboard the expensive GTA Online yacht explodes while waves of enemies slowly arrive.

The yacht usually has anti-aircraft systems, but the lack of electricity means they’re non-functional. Only the players are able to defend the yacht. This is perhaps the most difficult confrontation in the questline. Enemies will be coming from multiple fronts: enemies already onboard, those arriving from the sea, and those rappelling down from choppers.

There will be three waves of enemies of progressing difficulty. Unfortunately, players won’t be able to enter the interior of the yacht. However, players will continuously see Body Armor and Health pack pickups on the top deck just outside the bridge’s entry to give them the occasional boost.

After the second wave, the Captain will realize that the attackers are once again the Kkangpae. When players reach the third wave, the Captain will finally get power back on the yacht and activate the defenses. This gives players an offensive boost, as the Captain will be able to handle threats from the skies. After players clear the remaining threats from the boats and on the ground, they will finally complete the mission.

Grand Theft Auto Online was released for the PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS3, PC, and Xbox 360.

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Video shows moments before superyacht went down in storm off Sicily

Newly released video captures a luxury superyacht being battered by a violent storm before it suddenly sank off Sicily with 22 people aboard Monday.

The grainy images obtained by NBC News and other outlets were recorded on closed-circuit television not far from where the Bayesian was anchored, about a half-mile from the port of Porticello, on Sicily’s northern coast .

The yacht's 250-foot mast, illuminated with lights and lashed by the storm, appears to bend to one side before it finally disappears and is replaced by darkness.

The speed with which a yacht built to handle the roughest seas capsized stunned maritime experts.  

“I can’t remember the last time I read about a vessel going down quickly like that, you know, completely capsizing and going down that quickly, a vessel of that nature, a yacht of that size,” said Stephen Richter of SAR Marine Consulting.

British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and five of the 22 other people who were aboard the 184-foot vessel remain unaccounted for and are believed to be trapped in the Bayesian’s hull, nearly 170 feet underwater.

Officials confirmed Monday that at least one person, the ship’s cook, had died.  

Superyachts like the Bayesian, which had been available for charters at a rate of $215,000 a week, are designed to stay afloat even as they are taking on water to give the people aboard a chance to escape, Richter said. 

“Boats of this size, they’re taking passengers on an excursion or a holiday,” Richter said. “They are not going to put them in situations where it may be dangerous or it may be uncomfortable, so this storm that popped up was obviously an anomaly. These vessels that carry passengers, they’re typically very well-maintained, very well-appointed.”

Built by Italian shipbuilder Perini Navi in 2008, the U.K.-registered Bayesian could carry 12 guests and a crew of up to 10, according to online specialist yacht sites. Its nearly 250-foot mast is the tallest aluminum sailing mast in the world, according to CharterWorld Luxury Yacht Charters. 

On Tuesday, Italian rescue workers resumed the search for Lynch and the five other passengers still missing: Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah; Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife; and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife.

“The fear is that the bodies got trapped inside the vessel,” Salvatore Cocina, the head of civil protection in Sicily, told Reuters .

The Bayesian is owned by a firm linked to Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, who was one of the 15 people rescued Monday after it capsized.

“It’s extremely rare for a boat of this size to sink,” Richter said.

What’s not rare is the kind of storm that sank it , said Simon Boxall, senior lecturer in oceanography at Britain’s University of Southampton.

“People assume the Mediterranean is this rather calm and passive place that never gets storms and always blue skies,” Boxall said. “In fact, you get some quite horrendous storms that are not uncommon at this time of year.”

The president of Italy’s meteorological society has said Monday’s violent storm may have involved a waterspout, essentially a tornado over water, or a downburst, which occurs more frequently but doesn’t involve the rotation of the air.

Luca Mercalli, president of the Italian Meteorology Society, also said recent temperatures may have been a factor. 

“The sea surface temperature around Sicily was around 30 degrees Celsius [86 Fahrenheit], which is almost 3 degrees more than normal,” Mercalli told Reuters. “This creates an enormous source of energy that contributes to these storms.”

The Mediterranean sailing vacation was designed to be a celebration for Lynch, who two months ago was acquitted by a San Francisco jury of fraud charges stemming from the 2011 sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion.

Prosecutors alleged that Lynch, dubbed “Britain’s Bill Gates,” and Autonomy’s vice president for finance, Stephen Chamberlain, had padded the firm’s finances ahead of the sale. Lynch’s lawyers argued that HP was so eager to acquire Autonomy that it failed to adequately check the books .

Lynch had taken Morvill, who was one of his defense attorneys, on the luxury trip. 

Chamberlain was not on the Bayesian.

In what appears to be a tragic coincidence, a car struck and killed Chamberlain on Saturday as he was jogging in a village about 68 miles north of London, local police said.

“Steve fought successfully to clear his good name at trial earlier this year, and his good name now lives on through his wonderful family,” Chamberlain’s lawyer, Gary Lincenberg, said in a statement .

Henry Austin reported from London and Corky Siemaszko from New York City.

Henry Austin is a senior editor for NBC News Digital based in London.

Corky Siemaszko is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital.

Who was on superyacht that sank off Sicily?

Twenty-two people were on board the Bayesian superyacht including British technology tycoon Mike Lynch, his wife and 18-year-old daughter, and Morgan Stanley International boss Jonathan Bloomer.

Friday 23 August 2024 12:34, UK

Details have emerged of the 22 people who were on board the superyacht that sank off the coast of Sicily.

The British-flagged vessel named Bayesian was carrying 12 passengers and 10 members of crew when it got into difficulty in the early hours of Monday.

Seven bodies have now been recovered. The other 15 people on board were rescued.

Here's what we know about those who were on the yacht.

Follow latest updates on the superyacht sinking

British technology tycoon Mike Lynch was among the original six people missing. On Thursday, divers confirmed his body had been recovered.

Raised in Ilford, east London by Irish parents, the 59-year-old made millions with the software company Autonomy he set up in 1996.

He had an estimated net worth of £852m, according to the 2023 Sunday Times Rich List, and is believed to have owned the yacht.

Off the back of Automomy's global success, Mr Lynch was given the roles of science adviser to former prime minister David Cameron and non-executive director of the BBC.

The Cambridge maths and sciences graduate sold the firm for £8.64bn to US giant Hewlett Packard (HP) in 2011.

Dubbed the "British Bill Gates", Mr Lynch has been in the headlines in recent months over a high-profile fraud case related to the sale of Autonomy to HP in 2011.

HP accused him of deliberately overstating the value of the company before it was acquired by the American technology firm. Mr Lynch denied any wrongdoing.

In June, a US jury cleared him of all charges .

Read more: Lynch's co-defendant dies days before yacht disaster

Hannah Lynch

Mr Lynch's 18-year-old daughter Hannah Lynch was also on board. A body believed to be that of the teenager was recovered on Friday from the yacht wreckage.

She had been on holiday with her parents, having secured a place to study English at the University of Oxford, according to reports.

Her former school, Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith, west London, said they were "incredibly shocked by the news that Hannah and her father are among those missing in this tragic accident" when the yacht first sank.

Angela Bacares

Mr Lynch's wife Angela Bacares was on board the yacht and was rescued.

The 57-year-old said she and Mr Lynch were awoken by the boat "tilting" at 4am - half an hour before it sank.

Jonathan Bloomer

Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of investment bank Morgan Stanley International, was confirmed dead on Thursday.

According to the Financial Times, Mr Bloomer appeared as a defence witness for Mr Lynch during his US criminal trial and the pair were good friends. He also chaired Autonomy's audit committee.

The 70-year-old was the chief executive of UK-Hong Kong insurer Prudential until he was ousted by the board in 2005.

He was also chairman of the insurance provider Hiscox.

Judy Bloomer

Mr Bloomer's wife Judy was on the yacht trip with her husband. Divers confirmed they found her body on Thursday.

Mrs Bloomer was a former board member at The Eve Appeal charity, which focuses on gynaecological cancers.

The charity described her as a "brilliant champion for women's health and medical research... an incredible supporter, committee member, and trustee of our charity for over 20 years".

Read more: 'Alarming' potential cause of superyacht disaster What we know about superyacht that sank

Recaldo Thomas

The yacht's on-board chef Recaldo Thomas died in the sinking.

He was Canadian-Antiguan and part of the crew of the Bayesian.

His body was the first to be recovered from the wreckage.

Chris Morvillo

US lawyer Chris Morvillo was among those divers found dead on Thursday.

The father-of-two worked on Mr Lynch's US fraud trial and was a partner of law firm Clifford Chance's US branch.

Mr Morvillo was assistant attorney for the Southern District of New York between 1995 and 2005 and worked on the terrorist investigation into the 9/11 attacks.

In a recent LinkedIn post, he thanked the legal team that helped win Mr Lynch's trial.

Signing off the post, he said: "And, finally, a huge thank you to my patient and incredible wife, Neda Morvillo, and my two strong, brilliant, and beautiful daughters, Sabrina Morvillo and Sophia Morvillo.

"None of this would have been possible without your love and support. I am so glad to be home. And they all lived happily ever after…."

Neda Morvillo

Mr Morvillo's wife Neda died in the disaster alongside her husband.

The 57-year-old had a luxury jewellery brand, which she ran under her maiden name Neda Nassiri.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Ayla Ronald

Ayla Ronald, a senior associate at Clifford Chance, survived the yacht disaster, the law firm confirmed.

The 36-year-old worked alongside Chris Morvillo in helping defend Mike Lynch in court.

Clifford Chance said in a statement: "Our utmost priority is providing support to the family as well as our colleague Ayla Ronald, who together with her partner, thankfully survived the incident."

She is originally from Christchurch, New Zealand, but lives in London, her father told local media there.

He said she was left "very shaken" but "she and her partner are alive".

Charlotte Golunski

Charlotte Golunski was on board the yacht and was rescued along with her one-year-old daughter, Sofia.

She spoke to Italian newspaper La Repubblica, confirming she survived the yacht sinking and told how she kept her daughter alive after she was rescued.

"I held her afloat with all my strength, my arms stretched upwards to keep her from drowning," she said.

"It was all dark. In the water I couldn't keep my eyes open. I screamed for help but all I could hear around me was the screams of others."

The 35-year-old is a partner at one of Mr Lynch's firms - Invoke Capital - and has worked there since 2012, according to her LinkedIn profile.

She also worked at Hewlett Packard, which acquired Autonomy in 2011, for 11 months.

Before that, she studied history at the University of Oxford.

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James Emsley

Ms Golunski's partner James Emsley was also rescued from the yacht, according to Sicily's civil protection agency.

The 36-year-old is the father of her one-year-old daughter.

James Cutfield

The 51-year-old captain of the yacht spoke to Italian newspaper La Repubblica after he was rescued.

Mr Cutfield, from New Zealand, was taken for treatment at the Termini Imerese emergency unit, where he told the newspaper: "We didn't see it coming."

Leah Randall

Leah Randall was part of the Bayesian crew and survived the sinking.

She was pictured going ashore in Porticello on Monday morning and is from South Africa.

Her mother Heidi told Sky News said she was "beyond relieved that my daughter's life was spared by the grace of God".

"It doesn't make it any easier living with the heartache of those who have lost their lives [or are] missing. My very deepest condolences to the chef's family as they formed a great friendship," she said.

Katja Chicken

Katja Chicken was another South African member of crew on board the Bayesian and was pictured being brought to safety in Porticello on Monday.

The Italian coastguard confirmed on Tuesday evening that Leo Eppel, a crew member, also survived the yacht sinking.

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Mike Lynch’s Sunken Superyacht Is Largely Intact, Italian Officials Say

I talian investigators searching the wreckage of the Bayesian superyacht said it appeared largely intact, a discovery that contradicts earlier eyewitnesses who said its mast had snapped when it sank in Monday’s storm.

Divers are reporting that the 180-foot-long yacht was lying on its side on the ocean floor, an Italian coast guard official said Wednesday. “The divers are looking for structural damage on the hull,” the official said.

The early reports from Italian officials appeared to be at odds with witnesses who had said the aluminum mast snapped during a violent thunderstorm when the vessel sank off the coast of Sicily with 22 people on board, including owner Mike Lynch, a U.K. tech billionaire.

The towering mast on the Bayesian stretched nearly 240 feet into the sky—making the superyacht the tallest luxury sailboat when it was built.

Maritime experts said a broken mast of that height could cause serious damage to a vessel, but the design isn’t a safety concern as long as the masts are well maintained and held tightly upright on the hull by cables called stays.

“Bigger masts support bigger sails and higher sailing speeds,” said Takis Tsakos, a veteran captain who also oversees for clients the construction of superyachts such as the Bayesian at yards in Europe and the U.S. “The yacht fans love the bigger masts because they look marvelous and give the vessel more volume. They are especially impressive at night when they are lit up.”

The Bayesian’s mast could have fallen on the hull, damaging it, or could have been uprooted from its base by the strong winds if the stays weren’t tight enough. Yacht captains say loose stays can make a boat tilt as much as 15 degrees even with the sails folded.

“That would have made a gaping hole and water could have rushed in. It was also a relaxed evening—doors and windows could have been open with more water coming in as the boat tilted,” said Tsakos, founder of Athens-based Yachtways GP, which rents out luxury yachts in the Mediterranean. “These will be determined when the yacht is pulled out of the water.”

The people missing and presumed dead in the sinking of the Bayesian include Lynch, his daughter, a top executive at Morgan Stanley and one of Lynch’s lawyers. The group was celebrating Lynch’s acquittal on U.S. fraud charges.

Italian authorities are continuing to investigate the accident and divers are trying to access the sunken hull. Rescue teams located five bodies from the wreck on Wednesday. The body of the boat’s chef was retrieved from the sea on Tuesday.

Masts must meet the safety standards of classification societies that give the green light for a ship to sail and monitor its maintenance over the years. Oversize masts on superyachts are turned by computer so they face the wind straight on and not sideways even when the sails are folded.

“For a vessel of this size to go down, there must have been tremendous ingress of water inside its enclosed spaces,” said Fotis Pagoulatos, a naval architect who has participated in a number of shipwreck investigations. “Its design allows it to stay afloat, even with two compartments flooded.” He said he wouldn’t be surprised if the yacht’s hull is found cracked and buckled from the forces exerted by the freak weather and possibly the cracked mast.

The single-masted Bayesian was built by Italian company Perini Navi and delivered in 2008 to its original owner. The boat, which was taller than it was long, was one of a class of supersize luxury yachts that cruise the Mediterranean and other hot spots.

Formerly known as Salute, it was one of several that Perini Navi built that was 56 meters long. But its sister ships had shorter masts—generally extending 59 meters, compared with about 72 meters for the Bayesian. Perini Navi didn’t return requests for comment.

The Bayesian has been eclipsed by newer boats owned by other billionaires. Jeff Bezos, the Amazon.com founder, commissioned the 127-meter-tall Koru, a three-masted vessel that was delivered in 2023.

The Koru was so tall that in 2022 it sparked a protest over plans to dismantle a bridge to let it sail out of the Dutch port where it was built. Instead, the ship was towed to another shipyard to have its masts mounted.

Still, the Bayesian remained one of the largest private sailing yachts. It was ordered by a Dutch businessman but, in 2005, he was paralyzed in a yachting accident and it was sold on completion to another Dutch owner and renamed Salute, according to yacht brokers.

In 2014, it was sold to an entity owned by Angela Bacares, Lynch’s wife, and renamed Bayesian. It has no racing history, but boats of this size compete in events such as the St Barths Bucket Regatta, an annual race in the Caribbean, and in the Perini Navi Cup, a four-day race near Sardinia.

Perini Navi is known for creating some of the world’s most famous and luxurious sailing yachts, including the 88-meter-long Maltese Falcon, one of the world’s most recognizable sailing yachts, with rotating masts and a futuristic design.

The masts of the Maltese Falcon are 57 meters tall.

Write to Costas Paris at [email protected]

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SAMSUNG Galaxy A15 5G A Series Cell Phone, 128GB Unlocked Android Smartphone, AMOLED Display, Expandable Storage, Knox Security, Super Fast Charging, US Version, 2024, Blue Black

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About this item

• YOUR CONTENT, SUPERSMOOTH: Whether watching shows, playing games or reading online, the ultra-clear, superfluid display¹ of Galaxy A15 5G brings your content to life; Plus, Vision Booster lets you to enjoy the bright 800-nits screen experience
• STORE MORE & WORRY LESS: With improved internal storage of up to 128GB and up to 1TB² of expandable storage, Galaxy A15 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them
• MANAGE PERSONAL DATA w/ CONFIDENCE: Securely manage your files and rest easy knowing your sensitive data is safeguarded with the fortified layers of Knox Security
• LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A15 5G; Super Fast Charging³ powers up your battery at lightning speed so you can get back to life sooner
• A DIGITAL WALLET IS ALREADY IN YOUR GALAXY: Carry your essentials conveniently in the digital wallet that’s made for your Galaxy phone and Watch⁴

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Awesome belongs to anyone with Galaxy A15 5G. Built with all the essential features, Galaxy A15 5G makes it easier to embrace cutting-edge innovation while providing unmatched value. Immerse yourself in your favorite content with Samsung TV Plus, showcased in crisp clarity on a bright display. Capture and cherish precious moments spent with friends and family using a triple-lens camera system, and never worry about running out of space with expandable storage². Power through your day with a reliable battery that charges at lightning speed with Super Fast Charging. Plus, with Samsung Wallet and four years of software updates included, you can trust that your A15 5G can support your every need. Plus, with multilayered Knox Security, you can trust that your A15 5G keeps your personal data safe and secure. Experience the awesomeness in every day with Galaxy A15 5G — where innovation meets accessibility. Awesome experience. Awesome value.

¹Measured diagonally, the screen size is 6.5" in the full rectangle and 6.3" accounting for the rounded corners. Actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners and the camera cutout. ²MicroSD card soldseparately. Portion of memory occupied by existing content. ³Wall charger sold separately; use onlySamsung-approved chargers and cables. To avoid injury or damage to your device, do not use incompatible, worn or damaged batteries, chargers or cables. Supports up to 25W charging. ⁴Samsung Wallet on the watch only available on Galaxy Watch6 devices and with select features. Please visit the Samsung Wallet FAQ at https://www.samsung.com/us/samsung-wallet/faq/ for a full list of watch features and eligible devices. Network coverage may affect feature usage.

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Customer Review: It’s good. Real good

Good quality but bad viewing angles

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Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 59% 16% 8% 6% 12% 59%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 59% 16% 8% 6% 12% 16%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 59% 16% 8% 6% 12% 8%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 59% 16% 8% 6% 12% 6%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 59% 16% 8% 6% 12% 12%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers like the performance, value, and battery life of the cellular phone. For example, they mention it has good smartphone functionality, the battery lasts a long time, and it's adequate for the price tag. Some are satisfied with ease of use, and durability. That said, some complain about the speed and quality.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers like the performance of the cellular phone. They say it has good smartphone functionality, is very responsive, and has good storage. They also say the videos and Zoom operate smoothly, and the networking speeds and dependability are beyond their expectations. Some customers also mention that the phone works well for a low-end phone and has a headphone jack that works perfectly.

"...Samsung never disappoints with quality, durability and performance ...." Read more

"...I can tell you that videos and Zoom operate smoothly . It may not work very well for high demand functions like gaming, but I wouldn’t know...." Read more

"...Loves watching crisp videos and playing video games. Fingerprint sensor works every-time so far. Sound is louder than my iphone 14 pro...." Read more

"...ago and the fingerprint scanner never worked well and has now quit working altogether - that's the final straw - I'm replacing the phone...." Read more

Customers appreciate the value of the cellular phone. They mention that it is an excellent value phone for money and that the price won't bankrupt them.

" Good phone for a low cost . Everything transfered smoothly. I have T- Mobile and I'm in the USA. Good photos and videos. Smooth scrolling...." Read more

"...It is also extremely affordable .I'm afraid I had high expectations...." Read more

"This isn't a flagship phone but very adequate for the price tag . The screen is a little slow but it may be due to screen protector...." Read more

"...the phone it feels solid and with 5g data and amoled display it's worth the price . It has everything I want in a phone...." Read more

Customers like the battery life of the cellular phone. They say it lasts a long time, they're impressed with the battery capacity, and that they only have to charge it once and it last all day.

"...The battery life is quite good . The appearance is beautiful. I purchased the light blue phone. I have a clear cover on my phone...." Read more

"...The battery seems fine . I let it charge at night but it so far has never gone below 80% during an average day’s use...." Read more

"... Battery life is longer than advertised . He charges it every 3 days or so. Loves watching crisp videos and playing video games...." Read more

"...I like the ability to remove most preinstalled apps as well. Battery life is great .Downfalls are minimal. *..." Read more

Customers find the cellular phone easy to use and transition to.

"...which makes moving your data from one phone to another fast and super easy ...." Read more

"Good phone for a low cost. Everything transfered smoothly . I have T- Mobile and I'm in the USA. Good photos and videos. Smooth scrolling...." Read more

"...It's a very good phone and transferring data over to this phone was easy . This was one of the best purchases I have ever made...." Read more

"...It’s easy to use , the photo quality is great! Battery life lasts for a very long time and lots of storage!" Read more

Customers are satisfied with the durability of the cellular phone. They mention that it is stable, robust, and has a solid screen. Some say that the phone is in good condition.

"...Samsung never disappoints with quality, durability and performance...." Read more

"...in a phone are that it does what I need, which it does, and that it be stable and robust – it’s a Samsung -- nuf said...." Read more

"...Those caveats aside, it has good smartphone functionality and it's sturdy . It is also extremely affordable.I'm afraid I had high expectations...." Read more

"...So decided to give the Samsung Galaxy A15 phone a try. I like the build quality of the phone it feels solid and with 5g data and amoled display it's..." Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the quality of the cellular phone. Some mention it's a very nice phone at a nice price, with a good camera and good durability. However, others say that it'll never disappoint with quality, durability, and performance.

"...This is my 4th Samsung cell phone. Samsung never disappoints with quality , durability and performance...." Read more

"...I have T- Mobile and I'm in the USA. Good photos and videos . Smooth scrolling. Not too many crazy updates...." Read more

"...I often have to touch it 3-4 times to select things, and it is not precise - often selecting things other than what I am trying to select...." Read more

"I am enjoying my new Samsung A15 phone. It's a very good phone and transferring data over to this phone was easy...." Read more

Customers are mixed about the clarity of the cellular phone. Some mention that the picture quality is pretty, the screen is excellent, and sharp, while others say that the quality is poor, video and photo quality is mediocre, and screenshots are difficult.

"...The screen is large and sharp and the cameras seem to do a fine job...." Read more

"...It takes quite a few tries, loosing what you want to screenshot happens often. As an older person I screenshot things I can't read so I can zoom in...." Read more

"...The picture quality is pretty , way better than my last phone. The thing I probably love about it the most is the display...." Read more

"...It’s easy to use, the photo quality is great ! Battery life lasts for a very long time and lots of storage!" Read more

Customers are dissatisfied with the speed of the cellular phone. They mention that it's a little slow if you have a bunch of apps on it, and has a slowness to it with texting, switching apps, or gaming. The lag speed with having multiple apps open makes everything take longer to accomplish. The processor is underpowered, and it can't use Google's speed test. It's faster to type in a password than to wait for fingerprint or facial recognition.

"...Reason for three starts? Well there is some lag speed with having multiple apps open ." Read more

"...The touch-screen is the biggest problem, it is unresponsive and inexact. VERY INEXACT...." Read more

"...The screen is a little slow but it may be due to screen protector. Provides everything I need for a really great price" Read more

"...After testing , it can't use Google's speed test and had a problem scrolling one of my emails; other speed tests and emails worked...." Read more

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Who Was on the Sunken Yacht? Tech Mogul Mike Lynch, His Family and Friends.

Mr. Lynch, the former chief executive of the software firm Autonomy, who was acquitted on fraud charges in June, was with friends and family when the yacht went down in a severe storm.

• Share full article

By Michael J. de la Merced

Michael de la Merced reported on Mike Lynch’s career and legal battles over the course of 13 years across two continents.

A cruise on the Mediterranean Sea aboard a superyacht was supposed to be a celebratory event for the British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch , who was acquitted in June of fraud charges tied to the sale of his company, Autonomy, to the tech giant Hewlett-Packard.

Instead, it turned into a disaster after the yacht, a 180-foot boat called the Bayesian, sank off the coast of Sicily in a violent storm. Of the 22 people aboard, 15 were rescued and seven others died . Search operations ended on Friday after the final body was recovered from the site of the sunken yacht .

Here’s what we know about the passengers.

Mike Lynch and his family

Mr. Lynch, 59, is a British software entrepreneur who had once been described as his country’s Bill Gates. He founded the software firm Autonomy, which analyzed clients’ unorganized data, and turned it into one of the most prominent British technology companies of its time. He became a widely known corporate leader, who advised David Cameron, the British prime minister at the time, and joined the board of the BBC.

In 2011, Mr. Lynch sold Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion, which was far above its market value, earning him hundreds of millions. But HP investors almost immediately soured on the transaction, and the American tech giant quickly fired its chief executive — and then Mr. Lynch.

HP later accused Mr. Lynch of misleading it about the state of Autonomy’s business, setting off a decade-long legal ordeal for the British executive, who denied the accusations. U.S. prosecutors charged him and other executives with fraud, and Autonomy’s chief financial officer was convicted in 2018.

Despite appeals to the British government, Mr. Lynch was extradited to the United States last year and was confined to a townhouse in San Francisco ahead of his criminal trial, which began in March. Facing the possibility of decades in prison if convicted, Mr. Lynch and another colleague were instead acquitted of all charges.

An official in Palermo, Sicily’s capital, said on Thursday that Mr. Lynch’s body had been recovered. His wife, Angela Bacares, 57, accompanied him on the yacht, and she was rescued on Monday when it sank. She was a consistent presence at his trial in the United States. Records show that she controlled Revtom, the company listed as the owner of the Bayesian.

The body of Hannah Lynch , Mr. Lynch and Ms. Bacares’s 18-year-old daughter, was thought to be recovered on Friday.

The other guests

Jonathan Bloomer, 70, chair of Morgan Stanley’s international arm and the chairman of Hiscox, an insurance provider that trades on the London Stock Exchange, was on the yacht when it sank, along with his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71. Their bodies are thought to be among those recovered, but Italian authorities have not identified them.

Christopher J. Morvillo, 59, a New York-based partner at the international law firm Clifford Chance, was also on the yacht. A former federal prosecutor who comes from a family of prominent lawyers, Mr. Morvillo represented Mr. Lynch during his criminal trial in San Francisco. His wife, Neda, 57, was with him on the yacht. Their bodies are also assumed to be among those recovered.

“We are in shock and deeply saddened by this tragic incident,” a representative of Clifford Chance said in a statement.

Surviving passengers rescued from the yacht include Charlotte Golunski, a partner at Mr. Lynch’s venture firm, Invoke Capital; Ms. Golunski’s husband, James Emslie; and their one-year-old daughter Sophie. Also rescued were Ayla Ronald, a lawyer at Clifford Chance, and her partner, Matthew Fletcher.

The yacht had a crew of 10, and nine were rescued. The body of the chef, Recaldo Thomas, was recovered from the water, the Sicilian Civil Protection Department said.

Elisabetta Povoledo contributed reporting, and Kitty Bennett and Susan Campbell Beachy contributed research.

Michael J. de la Merced has covered global business and finance news for The Times since 2006. More about Michael J. de la Merced

Watch CBS News

Here's what to know about Mike Lynch, the tech tycoon missing in the Sicily yacht disaster

By Aimee Picchi

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

Updated on: August 21, 2024 / 12:05 PM EDT / CBS News

Mike Lynch, once hailed as "Britain's Bill Gates," is now among the six people missing after his luxury yacht sank in a violent storm off the coast of Sicily. At the time of the disaster, Lynch had been trying to shake more than a decade of legal entanglements that ended in June when he was cleared of fraud and conspiracy charges . 

On Wednesday, two bodies had been brought to shore in Porticello, near Palermo, and two more were in the process of being brought ashore. Britain's Telegraph newspaper reported that the bodies of Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter were among the remains recovered Wednesday, but the civil protection chief would not confirm that report to CBS News. 

Lynch, 59, rose to prominence in the late 1990s with the development of his software company, Autonomy, which helped businesses quickly find information buried in email and other digital documents. In 2011, Lynch sold the business to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion, giving him a $800 million payday and cementing him as one of the U.K.'s richest people. 

But the acquisition was later called one of the "most notorious failed mergers and acquisitions" after HP discovered alleged accounting issues, leading to Lynch's firing by HP's then-CEO, Meg Whitman. HP claimed that Autonomy had used accounting improprieties to bolster its underlying financials ahead of the acquisition, charges that Lynch steadfastly denied. 

The case stretched into a 12-year legal fight that ended in June 2024 when a federal court jury in San Francisco delivered not-guilty verdicts.

"I am looking forward to returning to the U.K. and getting back to what I love most — my family and innovating in my field," Lynch said in a statement after the verdict.

Here's what to know about Lynch. 

What company did Mike Lynch start?

Lynch, who earned a PhD in mathematical computing from the U.K.'s Cambridge University, first cofounded a company called Cambridge Neurodynamics, based on the cofounders' work with pattern recognition. The firm used the tech to match fingerprints and car license plates, according to a 1997 article in The Guardian.

From there, Lynch cofounded Autonomy in 1996, which relied on a statistical model called Bayesian inference, named after a theorem developed by the 18th century statistician Thomas Bayes. (Lynch's luxury yacht was christened the "Bayesian.")

The company tapped into the growing need of businesses to sort through and find information within the vast reams of data created by the increasing use of computers and digital documents.

Autonomy's steady growth during its first decade resulted in Lynch being awarded one of the U.K's highest honors, the Office of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2006.

Lynch told The Guardian in 1997 that people didn't quite believe that a growing tech business could emerge from the U.K. 

"I have actually heard the comment, 'England, software? I thought you made bone china,'" he told the newspaper. 

What happened after Autonomy's acquisition by HP?

At first, HP celebrated the purchase as a huge coup that would propel the Palo Alto, California, company down a promising new path, but then quickly came to regret it under then-CEO Meg Whitman.

HP claimed it found accounting irregularities, and the company ended up recognizing $8.8 billion in losses in the Autonomy deal. Whitman eventually fired Lynch in 2012, while also laying off thousands of workers as HP's fortunes sagged. 

Throughout the past 12 years, Lynch rejected the allegations. He told the Wall Street Journal in 2012 that he was "ambushed" by the claims, which he described as "completely and utterly wrong."

What happened with Mike Lynch's legal case?

Lynch maintained his innocence while testifying earlier this year before a jury during a 2 1/2 month trial in San Francisco. U.S. Justice Department prosecutors called more than 30 witnesses in an attempt to prove allegations that Lynch engaged in accounting duplicity that bilked billions of dollars from HP.

The jury, as noted above, delivered not-guilty verdicts in June, vindicating Lynch, who pledged to return to the U.K. and to find new ways to innovate. 

Who is Mike Lynch's wife? 

Mike Lynch is married to Angela Bacares, who is one of the people rescued from the Mediterranean after the yacht sank. Lynch and Barares have two daughters. One of them, Hannah, 18, is among the missing, according to the BBC. 

Bacares, 57, owns shares in Darktrace, a British cybersecurity company she and Lynch co-founded, the Sun noted . She sat in the front row of the courtroom during her husband's trial, but generally has preferred to stay out of the public eye, the Times of London reported in July.

"We made the decision that Angela would not be involved in the case. She stayed completely separate. Her focus was the family and children," Lynch told the Times last month.

— With reporting by the Associated Press.

Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.

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