Suffolk entrepreneur Mike Lynch ‘among missing’ after luxury yacht sinks off coast of Sicily
Suffolk entrepreneur Mike Lynch is reported to be among the six tourists missing after a luxury yacht sank in bad weather off the coast of Sicily.
A body, believed to be that of the vessel’s chef, has been found and 15 people were rescued, according to local media.
Four of the missing passengers are British and two are American, Italian news website la Reppublica stated.
The superyacht, named Bayesian, capsized at about 5am off Palermo and was flying a British flag, according to ship-tracking site Marine Traffic.
The body was found near the wreck at a depth of 50m (164ft), fire and rescue services said.
A spokesperson for Dr Lynch said there was no comment. It has been suggested that Dr Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, was among those rescued.
The yacht is owned by Revtom, a firm registered in the Isle of Man. The BBC has reported that the firm’s annual statement from April names Ms Bacares as the legal owner.
In June, Dr Lynch was cleared of all the fraud charges against him in the US relating to the $11billion (£8.64 billion) sale of the Cambridge technology company Autonomy, which he founded, to Hewlett Packard (HP).
The 59-year-old, who lives in Suffolk and was once described as the Bill Gates of Britain, had been “elated” to return home and continue his life following the 11-week criminal trial, which followed years of legal proceedings.
He said at the time: “I am looking forward to returning to the UK and getting back to what I love most: my family and innovating in my field.”
The yacht sank as a fierce storm battered the area overnight.
The daily Il Giornale di Sicilia newspaper reported that the vessel had mostly British passengers on board, but also people from New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland and British-French citizens.
One of the survivors, a British tourist named Charlotte, told la Reppublica she held her one-year-old daughter, Sofia, to stop her from drowning.
She said: “I held her afloat with all my strength, my arms stretched upwards to keep her from drowning.
“It was all dark. In the water I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I screamed for help but all I could hear around me was the screams of others.”
Charlotte and Sofia are being treated in hospital, as is Charlotte’s husband, James.
Karsten Borner, captain of a nearby boat, told journalists those missing included the Bayesian’s owner and a child, news agency Reuters reported.
He said his crew took on board some survivors who were on a life raft, including three who were seriously injured.
A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “We are in contact with the local authorities following an incident in Sicily, and stand ready to provide consular support to British nationals affected.”
Bayesian completed a number of sailings in recent days, calling at various ports in Sicily, according to ship-tracking website VesselFinder.
The superyacht can accommodate up to 12 guests in six suites.
She was built in 2008 by Italian company Perini Navi.
