Two Bodies Recovered from Wreck of British Tycoon Mike Lynch’s Yacht Near Sicily

Scuba divers searching the wreckage of the superyacht belonging to British tech tycoon Mike Lynch have recovered two bodies from the sunken vessel, which capsized off the coast of Sicily two days ago. The discovery was confirmed on Wednesday by a source close to the ongoing rescue operations.

The bodies, one of which belonged to a heavily built man, were found inside the yacht, which was anchored off Porticello near Palermo when it capsized during a fierce storm on Monday. Rescue teams have been searching for six missing people, including Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter, and Jonathan Bloomer, the non-executive chair of Morgan Stanley International.

The 56-meter British-flagged superyacht, named Bayesian, was carrying 22 people at the time of the disaster. Fifteen of those onboard managed to survive, while the body of the yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas, a Canadian-Antiguan national, was discovered near the wreck shortly after the incident.

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The wreck lies on its side at a depth of around 50 meters, making the inspection “long and complex,” according to the Italian fire department. Divers faced significant challenges, with the yacht’s interior obstructed by furniture and debris, and only 8-10 minutes of dive time before needing to resurface. The coast guard has also deployed a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to scan the seabed and gather underwater images and videos, which could be crucial for the ongoing investigation into the disaster.

Authorities have been questioning the survivors, including the yacht’s captain, James Cutfield, and passengers from a nearby yacht who witnessed the sinking. However, no one has been placed under investigation at this time.

Mike Lynch, 59, is a prominent figure in the UK tech industry, often compared to Bill Gates for his role in building the software giant Autonomy, which was sold to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion in 2011. The deal later led to a high-profile legal battle in the U.S., from which Lynch was acquitted of all charges in June.

Also missing are Bloomer’s wife, Judy, and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda Morvillo. Chris Morvillo represented Lynch in his San Francisco trial, while Bloomer served as a character witness.

Experts remain puzzled by how a large, luxurious yacht with state-of-the-art safety features could sink so rapidly. The nearby yacht, anchored alongside Bayesian, was unharmed by the storm. The Bayesian, built by Italian shipbuilder Perini in 2008 and refitted in 2020, featured the world’s tallest aluminum mast, standing at 72 meters.

Matthew Schanck, chair of the Maritime Search and Rescue Council, suggested that the Bayesian was likely the victim of a rare and unpredictable weather event, possibly a waterspout. Schanck expressed confidence that a thorough investigation, aided by survivor accounts and the examination of the sunken hull, would uncover the true cause of the tragedy.