British technology tycoon Mike Lynch is among six people missing after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday morning. The 56-meter (183-foot) yacht, named Bayesian, was carrying 22 people, including 10 crew members and 12 passengers from the UK, the United States, and Canada.
The Bayesian encountered a severe storm that produced waterspouts—rotating columns of air similar to tornadoes—causing the vessel to capsize and sink. Emergency services managed to rescue 15 people, including a one-year-old British girl, but Lynch and five others remain unaccounted for. The body of one man has been recovered near the wreckage, which lies 50 meters below the water’s surface, but his identity has not yet been confirmed.
The one-year-old British girl was brought to shore by a firefighter who handed her over to authorities to be transported to hospital, Italian newspaper Corriere Della Serra reported, quoting a hospital official. The young girl underwent tests but is said to be fine.
Lynch, a prominent figure in the British technology sector, co-founded the software company Autonomy Corporation and later sold it to Hewlett-Packard in a deal that became one of the most controversial in UK corporate history. His disappearance has sent shockwaves through the business community.
Witnesses told Italian news agency Ansa that the yacht’s anchor was down when the storm struck, causing the mast to break and the ship to lose balance and sink. The storm, which hit the northern coast of Sicily, was part of a series of severe weather events that have affected the western Mediterranean since last week.
In the aftermath of the sinking, a nearby Dutch-flagged vessel responded to a distress flare and rescued 15 survivors from a life raft. Captain Karsten Borner, who was aboard the Dutch ship, recounted how they discovered the raft drifting after noticing that the Bayesian had disappeared. Three of the survivors were reported to be “heavily injured” and are currently receiving treatment in a local hospital.
Local fishermen also reported seeing debris, including cushions from the yacht’s deck, floating in the sea. Helicopters have been circling the wreckage site as divers search the waters for Lynch and the other missing individuals.
The UK Foreign Office has acknowledged the incident and is in contact with local authorities. The Bayesian is managed by Camper and Nicholsons International, whose spokesperson stated, “Our priority is assisting with the ongoing search and providing all necessary support to the rescued passengers and crew.”
Lynch’s disappearance has added urgency to the ongoing rescue efforts, with many hoping for a miracle as divers continue their search.
Melissa Enoch
Follow us on:
