Inside the luxury £30m yacht that sank in Italy with billionaire Mike Lynch on board

The luxurious yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily on Monday was once a multi-award winner for its sharp interior design.

In the early hours of Monday (19 August) morning, the sailing ship known as the Bayesian capsized and sank when a storm hit the coast of Sicily.

At the time, it was carrying 12 passengers along with 10 crew members.

It has been confirmed this morning that five of the six missing bodies have been recovered, including that of British billionaire Mike Lynch, 69.

The Bayesian (left), which capsized and sunk off the coast of Sicily in bad weather. (Fabio La Bianca/PA)

Chef Recaldo Thomas has also been confirmed dead, as only 15 of the 22 passengers made it onto a lifeboat before being discovered by a fellow ship.

The 184 feet (56 metre) superyacht was sold to Dutch real estate developer John Groenewoud for almost $40 million (£30.4 million), before being bought by Lynch's wife, Angela Bescares, who survived on Monday, for around £27 million in 2014.

Previously called Salute, the vessel was British-flagged and boasted the tallest aluminium mast in the world when it was built in 2008, which stood at 72 metres, winning it the award of 'best exterior styling' at the 2009 World Superyacht Awards, according to The Telegraph.

The stunning interior included a number of sleek, luxurious furnishings created by Remi Tessier, a yacht design specialist.

This also earned the vessel a number of awards, having received acclaim through its masterfully designed master bedroom, three double and two twin bedrooms, which accommodated 12 guests.

The superyacht had dark wood furnishings that were complimented by beige sofas and a deck that featured a large canvas to keep guests cool while at sea in the summer.

There were more intricate details onboard too, with thin brown pillars and intricate terracotta sculptures adding some Japanese culture to the ship's styling.

The Bayesian went on to win best interior at the International Superyacht Society Awards in 2008, while also being voted as one of the best large sailing yachts at the 2009 World Superyacht Awards.

Currently owned by Revtom, a company that lists Bacares as its legal owner, the yacht's name comes from a statistical model called 'Bayesian', which helps financial investors calculate risk.

This was Lynch's Ph.D. subject, which would help him to build his multi-billion pound empire in the future.

Operated by Camper & Nicholsons, the superyacht had twin 965 break horsepower engines, which has a range of 3,600 nautical miles at around 14-17 mph.

Rescue ships operate off Porticello near Palermo after the British-flagged luxury yacht Bayesian sank. (ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Following the tragic accident involving those onboard the Bayesian on Monday, a number of people linked to those who have gone missing have offered words of hope and support in the search for their bodies.

A friend of Lynch, Brent Hoberman, told Sky News they were 'all hoping for a miracle'.

"We knew it was unlikely but you still hold out hope," he said. "It's just so unbelievably tragic for him to go through what he went through over the last 12 years, defending his name and not really living a full life, to now for his death to be confirmed is obviously incredibly sad."