6 Missing After Yacht Sinks in Sicily Presumed Dead as Sources Say Passengers Had Been Celebrating Before Storm

Authorities said the Bayesian capsized early on Monday, Aug. 19 while moored about a half mile from the the coast of Porticello

The six people who remain missing after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Sicily during a storm are presumed dead by many of the investigators, local sources tell PEOPLE, though authorities haven't yet commented on that.

The Bayesian, a 183-foot vessel, capsized early on Monday, Aug. 19, while moored about a half mile from the the coast of Porticello, according to a statement from the Italian coast guard, previously obtained to PEOPLE.

A source close to the survivors tells PEOPLE the yacht had traveled from the Aeolian Islands to celebrate the recent acquittal of British technology entrepreneur Mike Lynch, who is among the missing.

Lynch recently went to trial, and won, after he was was accused of financial fraud in connection to the sale of Autonomy, a business software company Lynch founded, to Hewlett-Packard in 2011.

“That's why he took his closest friends and colleagues on the trip,” the source adds.

The other missing passengers include New York City-based lawyer Christopher Morvillo, who helped Lynch get acquitted, and his wife Neda, as well as Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife.

Lynch’s daughter Hannah is also missing, although his wife, Angela Bacares, is one of the 15 passengers who were rescued in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Although the search is still ongoing, local sources tell PEOPLE that many of the investigations believe they are presumed to be trapped in the hold or in their cabins. (Authorities have yet to comment on this and have only referred to the individuals as missing.)

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The Bayesian still appears to be intact as it lays on its right side in about 160 feet of water, according to Reuters. Due to the depth, crews only have about 8 to 10 minutes to search before resurfacing.

A senior source at the Italian fire brigade which is in charge of the underwater rescue efforts tells PEOPLE that crews have “managed to get to the berth and to the living room, which was full of debris and cables.”

Related: 'We Are in Shock,' Prominent N.Y.C. Attorney's Firm Says After He and His Wife Go Missing in Yacht Sinking

So far, they say teams have looked through portholes and “have not seen any people trapped inside,” despite some reports.

Currently, crews are attempting to “find ways of lighting up the inside of the vessel” to help them “properly” search for the missing.

The senior fire official says five additional expert diving units “have arrived in Sicily to help with the emergency,” and 15 people are working around the clock to try and find the individuals.

“It's a very long job,” the senior official explains, noting that there are “physical limits” to what crews can do underneath the water’s surface. “At most, it is a 15 minute segment — and that includes going up and going down. And then they need time to recover.”

Related: Diver Searching for 6 Missing People on Sunken Yacht Talks ‘Difficult’ Nature of Getting Inside

Marco Tilotta, a diver with the local fire department, previously said it has been “difficult” to access the hull, which is “a world of objects” inside, according to the BBC. Navigating the narrow spaces, he added, “is a really hard and difficult job.”

However, the diver emphasized, "we are not stopping."

Added Tilotta, “We have resources, manpower and means. Our goal is to find all the people who are missing, so that is our job.”

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