Images show Mike Lynch's superyacht above water for first time since it sank

For the first time since it sank off the coast of Sicily, Mike Lynch’s superyacht has been fully raised above water.

The Bayesian went down off the Italian island on 19 August last year, with seven people losing their lives and 15 rescued.

The ‘British Bill Gates’ and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among those dead, while Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, was rescued.

Inquest proceedings in the UK are currently looking into deaths as an interim report from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch said the superyacht was knocked over by ‘extreme wind’.

It was originally expected that the Bayesian would be raised last month, but efforts were delayed after a diver died, prompting greater use of remote-controlled equipment.

The vessel was eventually lifted out of the water yesterday afternoon (21 June) as images show it covered in mud and algae.

Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah were among those killed after the yacht sank last year (PA)

Investigators both in the UK and Italy say raising it out is crucial to fully understanding just what happened last summer.

One of Europe’s most powerful sea cranes held the whopping 56-metre yacht above the water as its propeller, rudder and keel all appeared to be intact.

The canopy and guard rails are mangled though and the ladder which Italian coastguard officials say was originally on the ship to allow passengers to disembark could be seen cracked, pointing upwards on the starboard side.

The stump of the mast could also be seen on the top deck. The 72-metre mast had been cut off on Tuesday using a remote-controlled tool and it was left on the seabed.

The yacht was lifted on Saturday afternoon. (PA)

A project insider said balloon-like kit will be used to lift that out.

“Lifting bags will be used on the mast, but this will not start until Tuesday or Wednesday,” he told PA.

“In the interim, the salvors on-site not accompanying Bayesian to port will be conducting a full sweep of the seabed site for any potential debris.”

Salvage workers say there were 18,000 litres of fuel on board the yacht as Michele Maltese of the Italian coastguard explained thermal cameras were used to check for any potential leaks.

Seven people died and 15 rescued (PA)

Marcus Cave of British firm TMC Marine, which is overseeing the salvage efforts, said: “This was a complex and precise lifting operation to recover Bayesian, and followed a step-by-step programme of salvage work.

“The salvage team has progressed in a systematic way that prioritised the safety of all working on site and minimised any potential impact on the environment.

“This care for personnel and for the environment will continue as Bayesian is transported into port tomorrow.”

The yacht is set to be taken to Termini Imerese today, the town where prosecutors investigating the sinking are based.

The boat trip had been intended as a celebration of Lynch's recent acquittal in a fraud case in the US at the time.

The 59-year-old tech mogul had been cleared of allegations of fraud involved in the multi-billion dollar sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett Packard.