“Before the storm, the captain should have closed every opening, lifted anchor, turned on the engine, pointed into the wind and lowered the keel.”

The keel is a large, fin-like part of the boat that protrudes from its base.

“That would have stabilised the vessel, they would have been able to traverse the storm and continue their cruise in comfort,” he said.

Currently, the Bayesian rests on its right side at a depth of approximately 50m (164ft).

Meanwhile, the Italian Coast Guard has been conducting environmental monitoring activities at the site of the sinking, to prevent possible hydrocarbon spills from the hull.

At the moment, the are no leaks from the tanks and no traces of oil pollution, the Coast Guard said in a statement on Wednesday.