Rescuers are continuing their search for six individuals still unaccounted for after a luxury superyacht sank off the Italian coast early Monday morning. Among the missing are two Americans, prominent British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, and Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International.
The 184-foot superyacht, Bayesian, which flies under a British flag and was carrying foreign tourists, capsized and went under in stormy conditions off the coast of Sicily. Authorities reported that one man’s body has been recovered, while 15 people, including a 1-year-old girl, have been rescued.
According to the Italian coast guard, the tragedy occurred shortly after 5 a.m. when the yacht, anchored near the port of Porticello close to Palermo, overturned in rough seas. Onboard were 10 crew members and 12 passengers from various countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.
Salvatore Cocina, head of civil protection in Sicily, expressed concerns to a private news outlet, stating, “There is a significant fear that the missing may have been trapped inside the vessel.”
The Bayesian is reportedly owned by Lynch’s wife, who managed to survive the incident. Other guests aboard included Lynch’s colleagues. The only body recovered so far is that of Ricardo Thomas, the yacht’s chef and an Antiguan citizen.
The group on the yacht was reportedly celebrating Lynch’s recent legal victory in the United States. A private news outlet highlighted that Lynch had just been acquitted of fraud charges by a San Francisco jury, marking the end of more than ten years of legal battles following the sale of his company to Hewlett-Packard in 2011.
In a statement after his acquittal, Lynch shared his relief, saying, “I am elated with today’s verdict. I am looking forward to returning to the U.K. and focusing on what I cherish most: my family and continuing my work in innovation.”
The missing individuals include Lynch, who is 59, his 18-year-old daughter, Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, as well as Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife.
Fire department diver Marco Tilotta spoke with reporters, explaining the challenges faced during the search efforts. “The depth is our biggest obstacle, as it limits the time we can spend on the search,” he said. “We are planning to proceed meticulously, searching every centimeter.”
Tilotta further noted that the yacht, resting 164 feet below the surface, appears to be intact and is lying on its right side. Divers have yet to determine whether the yacht’s 246-foot mast had broken at any point along its length.
The Bayesian, constructed in 2008 by the Italian shipbuilding company Perini Navi, was featured in footage recorded as recently as June 2021.
