A tragic incident unfolded off the coast of Sicily, leaving British tech mogul Mike Lynch and five others missing after their luxury superyacht sank during a sudden and violent storm. The incident, which occurred overnight, saw the 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged vessel, named Bayesian, succumb to the relentless force of nature. While 15 people, including Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, managed to survive and were rescued by a nearby superyacht, the search for the missing individuals continues.
The Italian coast guard confirmed that the vessel had a crew of 10 and 12 passengers on board. One body has been recovered, and police divers are attempting to access the ship’s hull, located 50 meters (163 feet) deep off the coast of Porticello near Palermo, where the yacht had been anchored.
Salvo Cocina of Sicily’s civil protection agency described the situation as a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Mike Lynch, 59, is a prominent figure in the UK’s tech industry. He founded Autonomy, the nation’s largest software company, based on his pioneering research at Cambridge University, earning him the nickname “Britain’s Bill Gates.” In 2011, Lynch sold Autonomy to HP for $11 billion, but the deal quickly soured, with the U.S. tech giant later accusing him of fraud related to the acquisition. After spending over a year under what was essentially house arrest, he was acquitted by a jury in San Francisco in June.
The search for the missing continues as authorities work tirelessly to locate Lynch and the others. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of the Mediterranean Sea and the dangers faced by even the most luxurious vessels.
