After a tragedy that claimed the lives of Mike Lynch and six others, crew members from Mike Lynch's yacht spoke about the moment a storm submerged the vessel near Sicily. They also described their efforts to save passengers.

According to Ansa, an Italian news agency, Matthew Griffiths who was on duty the night of that disaster, two weeks ago told investigators the crew did all they could to rescue those aboard the Bayesian.

The Italian authorities have opened an investigation into the possible manslaughter of Griffiths and the ship's engineer Tim Parker Eaton. Investigation does not necessarily imply guilt or that formal charges will be filed.

"I woke the captain up when the wind speed was 20 knots." Griffiths told Ansa that Griffiths gave the order to wake up everyone else.

The ship tilted, and we were thrown in the water. We managed to get up again and try to save those who we could," he said, recalling the events that occurred in the early morning hours of August 19, when the Bayesian was anchored near the Sicilian Port of Porticello.

"We were walking (on the walls of the boat). Cutfield saved Charlotte Golunski's daughter and mother, as well. There were 15 survivors in total.

Cutfield's lawyers claim that he exercised his right not to speak when questioned by the prosecutors on Tuesday. They said he was "tired" and needed more time to prepare a defense case.

According to Sunday's Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera, Cutfield had previously given investigators a description similar to Griffiths.

Cutfield told the newspaper that the boat tilted 45 degrees, remained in this position for a while, and then suddenly slid completely to the left.

Parker Eaton has not commented previously on the investigation. Il Corriere reported him saying on Sunday that all hatches and doors were closed at the time the storm struck the boat except for one giving access into the engine room.

He said that the door was on the opposite side of the tilting. It could not have been a cause for the sinking.

Last week, prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano stated that the vessel had most likely been hit by "downburst", which is a strong downward wind.

Experts in naval marine have been puzzled by the sinking. They said that a vessel such as the Bayesian built by Italian luxury yacht builder Perini should have withstood a storm, and should, in any event, not have sunk so quickly.

The investigation in Termini Imerese near Palermo will take some time as the wreckage has yet to be recovered from the sea. (Writing and editing by Frances Kerry, Giulio Pieovaccari)

(source: Reuters)