ROME – British tech magnate Mike Lynch and five others are missing after their luxury superyacht sank during a freak storm off Sicily early Monday morning. Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, and 14 other people survived the tragic incident, according to Italy’s civil protection authorities.
Lynch, 58, who was recently acquitted in a high-profile U.S. fraud trial, is among the six people unaccounted for after their chartered superyacht, the Bayesian, sank near Porticello, Sicily. The vessel was struck by a rare waterspout during a sudden, fierce storm that lashed the region overnight, said Salvo Cocina of Sicily’s civil protection agency.
The 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged yacht, notable for its 75-meter (246-foot) aluminum mast, had been anchored off Porticello when the freak storm hit. Rescuers have so far recovered one body, believed to be the yacht’s cook, and police divers are attempting to access the yacht’s hull, which is submerged at a depth of 50 meters (163 feet).
Fifteen survivors, including Lynch’s wife, were rescued after a nearby superyacht helped in the aftermath of the storm. Charlotte Emsley, one of the survivors, shared her harrowing experience of momentarily losing her one-year-old daughter, Sofia, in the water. She managed to keep her daughter afloat until both were rescued, Italian news agency ANSA reported.
Rescue crews, including helicopters and boats from the coast guard, fire rescue, and civil protection services, were involved in the operation, visible from the shore. Fisherman Francesco Cefalu’ was among the first to arrive at the scene after seeing a distress flare but found only debris and no additional survivors.
“It was devastating to see,” Cefalu’ said, noting that the sudden storm likely caused the mast to break or the anchor to drag the vessel under.
The yacht’s passengers and crew hailed from various countries, including Britain, the United States, Antigua, France, Germany, and Spain. British authorities have confirmed they are providing consular support to the affected British nationals and their families.
Mike Lynch, once hailed as Britain’s “king of technology” and the founder of Autonomy Corp., was cleared in June of fraud and conspiracy charges related to Hewlett-Packard’s $11 billion acquisition of his company in 2011. Despite his recent legal victory, this latest tragedy casts a shadow over the tech mogul’s return to prominence.
The Bayesian superyacht, built by Italian firm Perini Navi in 2008, was a high-end vessel capable of accommodating 12 passengers and crew. It had been available for charter at up to $215,000 per week.
Authorities continue their efforts to locate the missing passengers and crew, with the investigation into the cause of the incident ongoing.
