British Tech Mogul Mike Lynch Missing After Luxury Yacht Sinks in Sicily

Renowned British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch is said to be missing following the sinking of the luxury yacht Bayesian off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday morning.

Mr Lynch is best known for founding Invoke Capital and co-founding the Autonomy Corporation. He’s understood to be among the six missing passengers after the Bayesian capsized in the seas around Palermo following a freak tornado at around 5 am this morning.

15 People Rescued from the Bayesian

The Bayesian, a 49-metre superyacht, was carrying 22 passengers on board when the tornado struck. One person has already been confirmed dead, while 15 others were rescued by a nearby Dutch vessel. Italian coastguards then assisted in the rescue. The 15 survivors, including a one-year-old British citizen, have all received hospital treatment and are understood to have only sustained minor injuries.

One Confirmed Dead

One individual, yet to be named, was confirmed dead by the Italian authorities. A body, believed to be that of the vessel’s chef, was brought ashore by the Italian coastguards.

Six Passengers Still Missing

Fears are rising for the six passengers who remain unaccounted for. A search and rescue operation is currently combing the area where the tragedy occurred, with divers attempting to reach the hull of the vessel. It’s feared that the remaining six may have become trapped in their cabins and were unable to escape the sinking ship.

Mr Lynch’s Wife Among the Survivors

While Mr Lynch is reported to be one of the missing passengers, his wife, Angela Baceres, was rescued. Mr Lynch has been dubbed “Britain’’s Bill Gates”, having sold his firm for $11 billion in 2011. He was awarded an OBE for his services to enterprise in 2006 and appointed to the science and technology council in 2011. 

More recently, Mr Lynch won a significant legal battle in which he was cleared of fraud charges in the U.S. courts over the $8.6 sale of his software firm to Hewlett-Packard.

Tragedy Sparks Joint Rescue Effort 

Coastguards, firefighters, and the Red Cross have all assisted in rescue efforts since this morning. However, six out of the seven people initially reported missing still haven’t been found.

15 Passengers Escaped on an Inflatable Life Raft

Italian authorities have reported that 15 people on board managed to escape via an inflatable life raft. One of the passengers, Charlotte, the mother of the one-year-old infant, described how she temporarily lost hold of her baby in the sea after the tornado hit the vessel. She told the Giornale di Sicilia, “For two seconds I lost my baby in the sea, then I immediately hugged her again amid the fury of the waves. I held her tightly, close to me, while the sea was stormy. Many were screaming”.

The search for the missing six passengers continues.