Jonathan Bloomer, Chairman of Morgan Stanley International, and prominent lawyer Chris Morvillo from Clifford Chance are among the six people missing after a luxury yacht sank in a violent storm off the coast of Sicily. The 56-meter yacht Bayesian, carrying 22 passengers and crew members, capsized early Monday morning, around 700 meters from shore, due to severe weather conditions.
UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch, often dubbed the “British Bill Gates,” and his daughter, Hannah, are also unaccounted for following the tragic incident. The yacht, which was hosting a mix of British, American, and Canadian nationals, encountered treacherous waterspouts that led to its sinking. So far, 15 people, including a one-year-old British girl, have been rescued, while the body of the ship’s cook has been recovered.
Witnesses reported that Bayesian’s anchor was deployed when the storm hit, causing the mast to snap and the yacht to lose stability. Survivors described being abruptly thrown into the turbulent sea. One mother, Charlotte Golunski, recounted how she struggled to keep her baby afloat as they were tossed into the water amidst the chaos.
Mike Lynch, who co-founded software company Autonomy, had organized the yacht trip for his colleagues. His legal battles, stemming from the controversial $11 billion sale of Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard, recently concluded with his acquittal in the US on multiple fraud charges. The tragedy coincided with the death of his co-defendant, Stephen Chamberlain, who was fatally struck by a car in Cambridgeshire just days before.
Rescue operations, involving divers and the Italian coastguard, are ongoing as the wreckage rests 50 meters underwater near the port of Porticello. The UK Foreign Office and Britain’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch are assisting in the investigation.