superyacht

A LUXURY superyacht owned by the US billionaire who transformed Starbucks into a global brand has been spotted squeezing through a murky Dutch canal.

Howard Schultz’s 254-foot vessel, named Pi, boasts a range of over 4,500 nautical miles and onboard spa facilities, including a glass-bottomed swimming pool.

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The huge yacht, believed to be worth $200m (£150m), can accommodate up to 12 guests in six cabins and a crew of 18 people.

At a staggering 254 feet long and 37 feet wide, Pi ranks as the 183rd biggest yacht in the world, according to Wikipedia’s latest list of motor yachts by length.

The vessel is powered by MTU engines, which make it capable of speeds up to 18 knots.

It features its own helicopter landing pad as well as various onboard luxury spa facilities.

Built by Dutch boat builder Feadship, it was delivered to Schultz at the 2019 Monaco Yacht Show, where it won Best Yacht in Its Class and Motor Yacht of the Year.

Schultz’s net worth surpasses $6b (£4.5b), according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

He built the bulk of his fortune as the CEO of Starbucks, initially leading the company from 1986 to 2000.

Under Schultz, Starbucks grew from a small Seattle-based chain into a global coffee empire.

Schultz returned to the helm during the 2007–2008 financial crisis, after the company faced major store closures in a bid to cut costs.

He remained CEO until 2017, then returned briefly as interim CEO from 2022 to 2023.

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It comes as the superyacht was spotted in Cornwall’s Falmouth harbour in May 2022.

Meanwhile, the luxury Four Seasons hotel franchise recently announced its plans to launch a superyacht cruise ship, dubbed the Four Seasons.

The superyacht promises to be decked with “sea limousines”, luxury restaurants, a cigar room and even a four-story private penthouse suite.

Set to launch in January 2026, the ‘sea hotel’ will sail on over 30 voyages in its first year, cruising through the Bahamas, Caribbean, and Mediterranean.

Seven nights along the rivieras of Cassis, France and Portofino, Italy, for example, will cost north of $25,000 (£18,500).

While reservations for the first voyages opened in January 2024, they are on an invitation-only basis for loyal Four Seasons guests.

The exclusivity is “driven by the need to manage extraordinary demand”, according to the luxury hotel franchise.

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THE luxury Four Seasons hotel franchise is taking on the high seas with a superyacht so glamorous you need an exclusive invitation just to board.

The superyacht cruise ship, dubbed the Four Seasons I, is being kitted out with “sea limousines“, luxury restaurants, a cigar room and even a four-story private penthouse suite.

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Due to debut in January 2026, the ‘sea hotel’ will go on more than 30 voyages in its inaugural year, from across the Bahamas, Caribbean and the Mediterranean.

Passengers can book stays between five, seven and 14 nights – for a pretty lofty price.

Seven nights along the rivieras of Cassis, France and Portofino, Italy, for example, will cost you north of $25,000 (£18,500).

While reservations for the first voyages opened in January 2024, they are on an invitation-only basis for loyal Four Seasons guests.

The exclusivity is “driven by the need to manage extraordinary demand”, according to the luxury hotel chain.

Earlier this week, Four Seasons Yachts announced it had secured more than €400million (£337million) to fund a second luxury vessel slated to debut in 2028.

“With financing secured for the creation of a second Four Seasons Yacht… we are thrilled to be expanding our fleet to include Four Seasons II,” Donald Mason, chief financial officer of Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings LTD, the joint owner and operator of Four Seasons Yachts, said in a statement.

“This milestone reflects our continued growth and commitment to delivering Four Seasons legendary service at sea.”

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Four Seasons I, the franchise’s first sea hotel, is currently under construction at Italian shipyard Fincantieri – which will also be tasked with building the line’s second ship.

The vessel is expected to be fully built and seaworthy in November 2025.

While details about Four Seasons II have not yet been released, it is expected to be just as luxurious – if not more – than its predecessor.

The 190-passenger Four Seasons I is set to feature 14 decks and 95 residential-style cabins with ocean views.

The dazzling superyacht will offer nearly 50 per cent more living space per passenger than other cruise lines’ ships, according to the company, with the majority of cabins measuring over 800 square feet each.

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Four-story penthouse suite

But the jewel in this superyacht’s crown is the Funnel Suite – a four-story penthouse with three bedrooms, a private area dedicated to in-suite spa treatments, and a terrace with a splash pool.

The penthouse, which spans almost 10,000 square feet, is the largest suite on board.

It’s located across the ship’s highest decks – where a traditional “funnel” or smokestack would be on a steamship.

The private suite’s showstopping design feature is its wraparound, floor-to-ceiling windows that offer 280-degree views of the sea.

The curved glass is a “one-of-a-kind engineering innovation [that] is nothing short of remarkable, from its steel web frame support structure to its double glass thermal performance,” Four Seasons said in a statement.

The company also claims it is the largest piece of contiguous glass at sea – and cost an eyewatering $4.5million (£3.4million) to build and install.

Luxury dining

There will be 11 luxury restaurants and bars onboard, as well as a cigar room.

Passengers will be able to dine in the “Michelin-calibre” onboard restaurant – although only breakfast will be included in the pricing.

All other meals will come with a la carte fees – as well as alcohol, which should be fine for the average Four Seasons guest.

The Four Seasons tells guests they should budget for roughly an extra $250 (£185) per person, per day, to cover food and drinks.

And if the main on-deck pool – or the private one in the Funnel Suite – isn’t doing it for you, passengers can also swim in the ocean with private sailing, snorkeling, and windsurfing also being offered.

Passengers will be able to rent “custom crafted sea limousines designed for transfers and coastal grand touring,” according to Four Seasons.

There will be dedicated marina crew to tend to guests’ every need, and beach ladders for dips in the ocean when the ship is anchored.

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THE family of a chef who was killed in the Bayesian superyacht tragedy want justice for his death, a report claims.

Recaldo Thomas, 59, was among the seven people who died after Brit billionaire Mike Lynch’s yacht sank off the coast of Sicily during a storm last year.

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Recaldo’s family are now seeking compensation for his tragic death – and they could be in line for a $40 million payout.

The chef’s sister-in-law Joycelyn Palmer told MailOnline: “We just want justice and yes, we will be looking at compensation, someone must pay for what happened.”

Last week a report detailing the “vulnerability” of the yacht revealed how the tragedy unfolded.

A thorough investigation has shown that the ship was likely knocked over by “extreme wind” and was not able to recover.

But Palmer believes the yacht’s 236ft mast may have also played a part in the tragic sinking.

Recaldo’s sister-in-law said: “I looked up the yacht and when I saw the mast I just thought that must have something to do with what happened.

“You can even see it in one of the last pictures he sent us.”

She also claimed the crew were at fault as they had taken the weather for granted and didn’t alert the captain until it was “too late”.

Palmer recalled the emotional turmoil the family experienced in the aftermath of the tragedy.

She said it took six long weeks to get Recaldo’s body, meaning they were unable to have an open-casket funeral and say their goodbyes properly.

Palmer described her brother-in-law as a lovely man who had a heart of gold and an infectious smile.

The family’s lawyer said they were looking at a US lawsuit against “various entities”.

They added that a $40million pay-out would not be out of the question for the “emotional loss”.

Recaldo was among seven passengers who died when the 184ft yacht capsized and sank on August 19.

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Anchored off the coast of Porticello Harbour in Palermo, a downburst of stormy winds hit the boat causing it to topple.

It sunk to the sea floor in minutes and prompted a huge five-day search operation with specialist divers, underwater drones and helicopters.

Recaldo was found dead near the wreck site on August 19, but it took several more days to recover six missing guests including the Brit billionaire and his daughter.

New York lawyer Chris Morvillo and wife Neda also died, as did Morgan Stanley international chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy.

Just two months before the disaster, Lynch had been cleared of carrying out a massive fraud over the sale of his software firm Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard in 2011.

The boat trip was a celebration of his acquittal in the case in the US.

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An interim report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch revealed last week that the yacht had a “vulnerability” to lighter winds which the owner and crew may not have known about.

Andrew Moll, chief inspector of marine accidents, said: “The findings indicate that the extreme wind experienced by Bayesian was sufficient to knock the yacht over.

“Further, once the yacht had heeled beyond an angle of 70° the situation was irrecoverable.

“The results will be refined as the investigation proceeds, and more information becomes available.”

The salvage operation for the superyacht is officially underway.

Floating cranes, remote-controlled robots, and specialist divers amongst other marine experts are all helping to recovery the vessel.

But the operation had to be put on pause just days after it started when a diver died.

The diver, who is thought to be a Dutch national, reportedly died when working 160ft below the ocean alongside other recovery workers to cut the boom of the yacht.

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After an unsuccessful attempt trying to cut the section, the divers are believed to have used a blow torch.

Local media speculated that the man was hit by part of the cut boom as it came off whilst he was underwater.

But police said they have launched a probe to understand what exactly caused the man’s death.

According to other local media reports, an underwater explosion was heard by at least one person before the man was found dead.

Inside the Bayesian’s final 16 minutes

By Ellie Doughty, Foreign News Reporter

Data recovered from the Bayesian’s Automatic Identification System (AIS) breaks down exactly how it sank in a painful minute-by-minute timeline.

At 3.50am on Monday August 19 the Bayesian began to shake “dangerously” during a fierce storm, Italian outlet Corriere revealed.

Just minutes later at 3.59am the boat’s anchor gave way, with a source saying the data showed there was “no anchor left to hold”.

After the ferocious weather ripped away the boat’s mooring it was dragged some 358 metres through the water.

By 4am it had began to take on water and was plunged into a blackout, indicating that the waves had reached its generator or even engine room.

At 4.05am the Bayesian fully disappeared underneath the waves.

An emergency GPS signal was finally emitted at 4.06am to the coastguard station in Bari, a city nearby, alerting them that the vessel had sunk.

Early reports suggested the disaster struck around 5am local time off the coast of Porticello Harbour in Palermo, Sicily.

The new data pulled from the boat’s AIS appears to suggest it happened an hour earlier at around 4am.

Some 15 of the 22 onboard were rescued, 11 of them scrambling onto an inflatable life raft that sprung up on the deck.

A smaller nearby boat – named Sir Robert Baden Powell – then helped take those people to shore.

TRAGIC billionaire Mike Lynch’s superyacht sank because it was vulnerable to wind, a report claims.

Investigators examining the sinking of the 180ft Bayesian off Sicily last year say it was knocked over by “extreme wind” and could not recover.

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Brit tech tycoon Lynch, 59, and daughter Hannah, 18, were among seven killed in the disaster.

An interim report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch said the yacht had a “vulnerability” to lighter winds but the owner and crew would not have known.

It added it had “limited verified evidence” as the criminal probe in Italy had restricted its access.

Andrew Moll, chief inspector of marine accidents, said: “The findings indicate that the extreme wind experienced by Bayesian was sufficient to knock the yacht over.

“Further, once the yacht had heeled beyond an angle of 70° the situation was irrecoverable.

“The results will be refined as the investigation proceeds, and more information becomes available.”

Five people were injured “either by falling or from things falling on them”, while the deck hand was “thrown into the sea”, a report said.

Two guests used furniture drawers “as an improvised ladder” to escape their cabin.

The skipper instructed guests and crew on an area of the deck to “swim clear of the mast and boom as the vessel was sinking”.

Survivors later made their way onto a life raft released from the Bayesian.

They went on to be rescued on a small boat dispatched by yacht Sir Robert Baden Powell, which was also at anchor nearby.

A search was conducted of the accident site.

All the bodies of those who died were subsequently recovered by the local authorities.

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