A man died and six people went missing, including British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his daughter, when their luxury yacht was hit by a severe storm and sank off Sicily early Monday.
The British-flagged yacht, named “Bayesian,” was a 56-meter (184-foot) sailboat that was anchored near Porticello when the storm struck. Eyewitnesses reported that the yacht disappeared quickly before dawn. Out of 22 people on board, 15 managed to escape, including Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, and a one-year-old girl. Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, are among the missing.
The names of those who died and went missing have not been released yet. The survivors include people from Britain, America, and Canada. The trip was organized by Lynch for his work colleagues.
Italian Coast Guard and Investigations into the Disaster
The Italian coast guard is inspecting the wreck of the yacht, which is at a depth of 49 meters. Prosecutors are investigating what went wrong. Recent storms and heavy rainfall have hit Italy after a period of extreme heat, which has increased sea temperatures and the likelihood of intense weather, according to meteorologist Luca Mercalli.
The Bayesian was built by Italian shipbuilder Perini in 2008 and last refitted in 2020. Its 75-meter mast is the tallest aluminum mast in the world. The yacht, which was owned by Revtom Limited, won several design awards and could accommodate up to 12 guests and 10 crew members.
The yacht left Milazzo, Sicily, on August 14 and was last tracked near Palermo on Sunday evening, anchored.
A nearby boat captain, Karsten Borner, reported that when the winds picked up, he used his engine to control his vessel and avoid colliding with the Bayesian, which was anchored next to him. After the storm, he noticed that the Bayesian was gone and had sunk. His crew later found and rescued some survivors, including a baby girl and her mother, from a life raft before the coast guard arrived.
About British Tech Entrepreneur Mike Lynch
Mike Lynch, 59, is a well-known British tech entrepreneur who created the UK’s largest software company, Autonomy, based on his research at Cambridge University. He was often likened to Bill Gates.
Storms and heavy rainfall have swept through Italy in recent days, with floods and landslides causing major damage in the north of the country after weeks of scorching heat.
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