Italian firefighters stated on Wednesday (August 21) that they have recovered four bodies from the sunken wreckage of the yacht belonging to Mike Lynch, a British technology tycoon. The search is still ongoing for the other two missing individuals.
According to Reuters, the bodies were brought ashore by a rescue ship and taken to a nearby hospital for identification. Local authorities have refused to disclose any further information.
The British newspaper “Daily Telegraph” reported that two of the bodies found in the yacht wreckage were identified as Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, with two more bodies discovered later.
Meanwhile, the Italian newspaper “La Stampa” reported that the only bodies confirmed so far are those of Jonathan Bloomer, a banker from Morgan Stanley, and Chris Morvillo, an American lawyer. Bloomer’s wife, Judy, and Morvillo’s wife, Neda, are among the missing individuals.
Early on Monday, the British vessel “Bayesian,” carrying 22 people, including Lynch and his family, sank after being hit by a fierce storm. Rescue teams have been searching for the six missing individuals.
Lynch, aged 59, is one of the most renowned technology entrepreneurs in the UK. Prior to the tragic incident, he had invited friends and family to celebrate his recent acquittal in a US court against fraud charges made by HP.
The yacht “Bayesian” is owned by Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, who was one of the 15 fortunate survivors. Witnesses reported that the 56-meter (184-foot) yacht vanished beneath the waves near Porticello harbor in Sicily within minutes during the storm, leaving naval experts perplexed as the vessel was equipped with top-notch safety features to withstand such weather conditions.
The “Bayesian,” built by the Italian shipbuilder Perini in 2008 and last refurbished in 2020, features the world’s tallest aluminum mast at 72 meters (236 feet). Currently, the yacht is lying on its side at a depth of around 50 meters (165 feet), mostly intact.
Over the past two days, professional rescue teams have been conducting searches inside the sunken vessel. It is reported that the deceased were trapped inside the hull, making it extremely challenging to access. Divers can only stay inside the hull for 8-10 minutes before resurfacing.
The body of the ship’s chef, Ricardo Thomas, a Canadian national, was found near the wreckage a few hours after the disaster.
In addition to diving teams, the Coast Guard deployed a remote-operated underwater vehicle to scan the seabed and capture underwater images and footage. This data may provide useful and timely clues for the prosecutors investigating the tragedy.
Lynch, often dubbed as the UK’s Bill Gates, founded the UK’s largest software company, Autonomy, which was sold to HP in 2011 for $11 billion. However, HP later accused him of fraud, leading to the collapse of the deal and a protracted legal battle.
In June, Lynch was acquitted of all charges by a San Francisco jury. His defense attorney, Chris Morvillo from Clifford Chance, represented him during the trial, with Bloomer serving as a character witness.
The 51-year-old captain of the “Bayesian,” James Cutfield, a New Zealand national, survived the maritime tragedy. Cutfield’s brother, Mark, described him as a “highly skilled sailor” who is respected in the Mediterranean.
Matthew Schanck, the Chairman of the Maritime Search and Rescue Council, a non-profit organization training maritime rescue personnel in the UK, stated that the “Bayesian” encountered a “significant” weather event, likely a waterspout.
He told Reuters, “If this was a waterspout, which from the appearance it seems to be, I would consider it a black swan event.” The term “black swan event” refers to a rare and unpredictable occurrence.