British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter are among six people missing after their luxury yacht sank off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday morning. The 56-meter (183-foot) yacht, named Bayesian, was carrying 22 people, including British, American, and Canadian nationals. Authorities are continuing the search as night falls.
The Incident: Yacht Capsizes in Storm
The yacht Bayesian encountered a severe storm, leading to its capsizing around 5:00 AM local time. The storm was so intense that it caused waterspouts—rotating columns of air similar to tornadoes—to form over the sea. The yacht’s anchor was down when the storm struck, causing the mast to break and the vessel to lose balance, eventually sinking off the coast near the village of Porticello, close to Palermo, the capital of Sicily.
Rescue Efforts and Missing Persons
Out of the 22 people on board, 15 were rescued, including a one-year-old British girl. However, Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah Lynch, and the yacht’s chef remain missing. Divers have identified the wreckage 50 meters below the water’s surface and are continuing their search. The director general of Sicily’s civil protection agency, Salvatore Cocina, confirmed that one body was recovered outside the wreckage, but the nationality has not been confirmed.
Survivors’ Accounts
Charlotte Golunski, one of the survivors, recounted her harrowing experience of holding her one-year-old daughter tightly in the stormy sea. She described the chaos as many screamed for help. Fortunately, a nearby Dutch-flagged vessel deployed an inflatable lifeboat, rescuing 11 people, including Charlotte and her daughter. They were later brought aboard the vessel and taken to Di Cristina Hospital in Palermo, where Dr. Domenico Cipolla, a doctor, reported that the survivors were exhausted and constantly inquiring about the missing individuals. They were deeply distressed, coming to terms with the grim realization that there was little hope of finding their friends alive.
Mike Lynch’s Background and the Yacht’s Ownership
Mike Lynch, often referred to as “the British Bill Gates,” co-founded the software company Autonomy, which was sold to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion (£8.6 billion) in 2011. The yacht Bayesian was owned by his wife, Angela Bacares, who has been rescued. The yacht’s name is derived from Bayesian theory, which was the basis of Lynch’s PhD thesis.
The Search Continues
The search for the missing people is ongoing, with rescue teams working through the night. The UK Foreign Office is supporting the British nationals involved in the incident, and Britain’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch is sending inspectors to conduct a preliminary assessment of the yacht’s sinking. The severe storms that caused this tragic incident are part of a series of bad weather events affecting the western Mediterranean.
The loss of life and the ongoing search for the missing have drawn attention to the need for continued vigilance and safety measures in maritime travel. The families and loved ones of those missing hope for a miracle as rescue efforts continue, facing overwhelming odds.
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