British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch is currently missing following the sinking of a superyacht off the coast of Sicily. The British-flagged vessel, named Bayesian, was a 56-meter sailboat carrying 22 people. It sank near the port of Porticello in the early hours of the morning, following a violent storm. The Italian coastguard reported that one person, believed to be the yacht’s chef, was confirmed dead. Six others, including Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, remain unaccounted for.
The yacht, which was anchored off shore, was struck by a tornado-like waterspout, which is a rotating column of water and wind. Reports indicate that the vessel was hit by a waterspout around 3:55 am, shortly after which a distress flare was seen. Fishermen in the area saw the distress signal but were only able to retrieve scattered debris from the yacht. The stormy conditions have been compounded by severe weather across Italy, including floods and landslides in the north.
Rescue operations have managed to save 15 people, including Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, who owned the boat, and a one-year-old girl rescued by her mother, Charlotte Golunski. The rescued individuals have been transferred to hospitals in stable condition. Golunski described the harrowing experience of keeping her daughter afloat amidst the chaos, while other survivors have been reported as deeply traumatized by the ordeal.
The yacht, built in 2008 by the Italian shipbuilder Perini, had an aluminium hull and was capable of reaching speeds up to 15 knots. It left the Sicilian port of Milazzo on August 14 and was last tracked near Palermo with a navigation status of “at anchor” before the incident.
The Italian coastguard is actively searching for the missing and investigating the incident. Meanwhile, the UK Foreign Office has offered consular support to the affected British nationals and their families. Lynch, a prominent figure in the tech industry known for co-founding Autonomy, was recently acquitted of fraud charges related to the sale of his company to Hewlett-Packard. His family and colleagues are anxiously awaiting further developments in the search and rescue operation.