Bayesian Yacht Tragedy: Divers Continue Search for Six Missing Individuals

Department of Research, Strategic Studies and International Relations 21-08-2024

The search has intensified for six people still missing after a superyacht capsized off the coast of Sicily, including UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his daughter.

Specialist divers have resumed efforts to locate those missing following the sinking of the Bayesian, a 56-meter British-flagged sailboat, which was struck by a tornado near the port of Porticello early on Monday morning. The vessel had been carrying 22 individuals at the time of the incident, according to a statement from the Italian coastguard.

The tragedy has already claimed the life of Ricardo Thomas, the yacht’s chef, and an Antiguan national. Six others, including Lynch, 59, and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, remain unaccounted for. Among the missing are Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International, lawyer Chris Morvillo, and their respective spouses.

The Italian coastguard previously stated that those missing hold British, American, and Canadian citizenships. Diving teams from the Italian fire department, who traveled from Rome, Sassari, and Cagliari, conducted another dive on Tuesday morning. Marco Tilotta, who leads the firefighter divers from Palermo, highlighted the difficulties faced in recovering bodies from the wreck.

Tilotta explained that the depth of the wreckage poses a significant challenge, limiting the time divers can spend underwater. “We only have three minutes to descend, eight minutes to work on the wreck, and then we must begin our ascent,” he said. Access to the vessel is also hindered by its positioning and the presence of personal belongings on board. While no additional bodies have been found since Monday, the divers plan to conduct a more thorough inspection of the vessel soon.

Fifteen people were rescued, including Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, the owner of the yacht, and a one-year-old girl who was saved by her mother.

Mike Lynch co-founded Autonomy, a software company that gained prominence in the UK tech industry in the mid-1990s. Often compared to Bill Gates, Lynch spent much of the last decade defending himself against fraud charges related to the sale of Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion. In June, Lynch was acquitted by a San Francisco jury after spending more than a year effectively under house arrest. Upon his acquittal, Lynch expressed his eagerness to return to the UK and focus on his family and work.

Chris Morvillo, one of the missing individuals, was Lynch’s attorney during the trial, while Jonathan Bloomer, who also serves as non-executive chairman of the insurer Hiscox, testified as a defense witness for Lynch. Aki Hussain, Hiscox’s group chief executive, expressed deep sorrow over the incident and offered thoughts and prayers for Bloomer, his wife Judy, and their family during this distressing time.

A spokesperson for the British Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office confirmed their contact with local authorities in Sicily and their readiness to offer consular support to affected British nationals.

The UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch has sent four inspectors to Palermo in response to the incident. The Bayesian had made several stops at Sicilian ports in recent days, according to VesselFinder, a ship-tracking website. The superyacht, built in 2008 by the Italian firm Perini Navi, accommodates up to 12 guests in six suites and was available for rent at rates up to €195,000 per week.

In a separate incident, Stephen Chamberlain, Lynch’s co-defendant in the US trial, passed away after being hit by a car while running in Cambridgeshire on Saturday. Chamberlain, who served as Autonomy’s former vice-president of finance, was placed on life support but later succumbed to his injuries. His lawyer, Gary Lincenberg, described Chamberlain as a man of great integrity, and his family remembered him as a beloved husband, father, son, brother, and friend.

Mike Lynch, who was awarded an OBE for services to enterprise in 2006, also served on the science and technology council of then-Prime Minister David Cameron in 2011. He was elected as a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2008 and of the Royal Society in 2014.