Captain Karsten Borner reveals horror moment £14m superyacht Bayesian disappeared beneath the waves in brutal storm

THE heroic captain of a boat that helped rescue 15 tourists from a doomed superyacht has described how he saw the Bayesian disappear beneath the waves.

Karsten Borner revealed his boat was forced to avoid hitting the £14million vessel after a tornado ripped through the coast of Sicily early on Monday morning.

Borner says his crew onboard the Sir Robert BP was battered by the strong gusts of wind and heavy rainfall which led to them anchoring up not far from Porticello port in Palermo.

The Bayesian was said to be already anchored up nearby but once the worst of the storm hit it reportedly started to sink as it filled with water.

Borner told media earlier today: "We managed to keep the ship in position, and after the storm was over, we noticed that the ship behind us was gone."

The captain says the Bayesian "went flat on the water and then down".

"There was a light and we saw that the ship was aside and then we saw a triangle. So I think she went back down," Borner added.

After noticing the Bayesian had vanished, Borner says his crew saw a flare in the water followed by rising smoke.

A packed life raft was drifting in the sea with 15 people inside -including a one-year-old baby. 

Borner says they quickly informed the coastguard who rushed out to guide the raft back to safety.

Four people were injured with three needing hospital treatment, Borner told reporters.

The mum of the rescued one-year-old, Brit tourist Charlotte Golunski, 35, says she was woken up by floods of water after the yacht was badly damaged by the tornado.

Thunder and lightning reportedly left the yacht "rocking" the moments before it started to fill with water, the couple said.

Charlotte managed to grab hold of young Sophia as the pair were forced into the Mediterranean as they battled against the rough weather and choppy waters.

Dad James Emsilie was also onboard at the time of the horror ordeal and wasn't able to find his family after being swept away by the sea.

The mother told la Repubblica about her terrifying experience, saying: “I held her afloat with all my strength, my arms stretched upwards to keep her from drowning. 

“It was all dark. In the water I couldn’t keep my eyes open."

Another seven tourists and crew were unable to make it on the lifeboat.

Four British tourists are feared dead including tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch who was onboard.

There was a light and we saw that the ship was aside and then we saw a triangle. So I think she went back down

Karsten Borner Boat captain

The lifeless body of one victim, a Canadian cook who was part of the crew, has already been pulled from the Mediterranean, reports Ansa.

Two other US tourists are among those still missing.

The yacht is believed to have been flooded by water after a tornado off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo, just before 5am local time on Monday morning.

Helicopters, divers, patrol boats and firefighters are all helping with the desperate search of the wreckage.

Most of those missing were passengers on the £166,000 a week charter.

The charterers said there were 12 guests and 10 crew sailing at the time.