British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, often dubbed the “U.K.’s Bill Gates,” was found dead following a yacht wreck off the coast of Sicily, Italy. The incident, which occurred during a storm on Monday, claimed the lives of five people, including Lynch. His 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, is still missing and rescue operations are ongoing.
Lynch, the founder of software company Autonomy, was a major figure in the tech industry. He gained notoriety for selling Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion in 2011. However, the deal went sour when Hewlett-Packard wrote down Autonomy’s value by $8.8 billion.
Lynch’s yacht, the Bayesian, sank near the Sicilian capital, Palermo. While the bodies of four other individuals were recovered on Wednesday, only two have been identified so far: Morgan Stanley banker Jonathan Bloomer and U.S. lawyer Chris Morvillo. Lynch’s body was found on Thursday.
Lynch was acquitted of fraud charges in June. Despite the controversies surrounding the Autonomy deal, he remained a respected figure in the tech world. His passing is a significant loss to the industry.
The ongoing rescue efforts are focused on finding Hannah Lynch and bringing closure to this tragic incident. The maritime authorities are investigating the cause of the yacht’s sinking.
