20 August 2024 , 17:37
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The body of a man recovered near the Bayesian yacht is believed to be that of Recaldo Thomas, a Canadian-Antiguan chef who was working on the boat
The chef whose body was pulled from the sea after the Bayesian yacht sinking in Palermo on Monday has been named and pictured for the first time.
Recaldo Thomas is believed to be the chef recovered from the water after the vessel was struck by a tornado and capsized in the early hours of Monday. The Canadian-Antiguan had been working on the boat as a chef at the time.
Tributes have been paid to Mr Thomas as the search continued on Tuesday for others who remained missing. Gareth Williams, a friend of Mr Thomas who he knew for 30 years, described him as a "well-loved, kind human" with a "calm spirit".
He told the BBC: "He would come over to mine over the weekend and he would sing. He had the deepest, most sultry voice in the world, and a smile that lit up the room.
A life raft seen docked at the harbour across from where the search and recuse operation is being coordinated in Sicily ( Image: © Nigel Howard / NIGEL HOWARD MEDIA)
"He told me just the other day that he needed to work two more seasons to fix up his late parents’ house. He loved yachting, but he was tired."
Another friend of Mr Thomas’ from Antigua described him as "always positive" and a "sought after" chef by the super-rich who "wanted to hang out with someone social" while yachting. Eli Fuller said: "The kids would see all these white people working on yachts. For them to see an Antiguan man travelling all over the world - it was important for our community."
The search for the six missing passengers, who include British billionaire Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, were ongoing on Tuesday, but authorities said efforts were being hampered by the wreck’s position 50m below the sea’s surface.
Furniture and a "world of objects" were blocking access to the yacht’s cabins, authorities said. Also missing are American jewellery designer Neda Morvillo and husband Chris Morvillo, and businesman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy Bloomer.
The boat was struck at around 5am on Monday while 22 people were aboard. Among those rescued were a 35-year-old British woman and her one-year-old baby, and Mr Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares.