Yacht Carrying Celebrating Tech Magnate Sinks off Sicily; Six Missing

AP Police divers resumed searching Tuesday for six people believed trapped in the hull of a superyacht that sank off Sicily. Among the missing is British tech magnate Mike Lynch, who was celebrating his recent acquittal on fraud charges with his legal team. The luxury sailboat, located near Porticello, Palermo, lies 50 metres underwater, a depth requiring special precautions.

The Bayesian, a 56-metre British-flagged yacht, was moored about a kilometre offshore when a storm hit before 4 am Monday. Civil protection officials suspect the ship was struck by a waterspout and sank rapidly. Grainy footage from shore cameras showed the yacht's illuminated 75-metre mast weathering the storm before disappearing within a minute.

Search Efforts and Challenges

Recovery crews could only stay for 12-minute shifts due to the depth, slowing their efforts to reach the wreck's interior. The rotating search teams, each consisting of two specialised cave divers, worked to open access points using a remote-controlled underwater vehicle (ROV). Furniture shifted during the storm blocked access to below-deck cabins.

Fire rescue officials have stated that the six missing passengers will be considered unaccounted for until found in the wreckage. The missing include Christopher Morvillo, one of Lynch's lawyers, and Jonathan Bloomer, chairman at Morgan Stanley International. "It's a great, great tragedy," said Britain's ambassador to Italy, Edward Llewellyn.

Survivors and Witnesses

Fifteen of the 22 people aboard survived, including a mother who saved her 1-year-old baby by holding her above the waves. One body was recovered, identified as the Antiguan-born on-board chef. The rest of the 10-person crew survived, including the captain whom prosecutors reportedly sought to interview.

Karsten Borner, captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell which rescued 15 survivors, said he saw the Bayesian as the storm approached. "A moment later, she was gone," he said. Survivors reported that the yacht went flat on the water and sank within two minutes.

Impact on Families and Colleagues

Aki Hussain, CEO of Hiscox Group where Bloomer was chairman, expressed deep shock and sadness over the event. "Our thoughts are with all those affected," he said. Reid Weingarten, a Washington attorney and member of Lynch's defence team not on board, mentioned that the outing was partly to celebrate Lynch's acquittal.

The Emslie family was released from Palermo's pediatric hospital after their rescue. Charlotte Golunski reported losing hold of her baby momentarily in the water but managed to save her. "They don't talk much because they consider themselves survivors," said Dr. Domenico Cipolla from Di Cristina pediatric hospital.

Details About The Yacht

The yacht's registered owner is Revtom Ltd., with Angela Bacares listed as its sole owner. The Bayesian may reference "Bayesian Inference," used by Lynch's company for statistical machine learning. Built in 2008 by Perini Navi, it had been available for charter at approximately USD 215,000 per week.

The coast guard has reported no trace of fuel leaks from the wreckage so far. In an unrelated event, Lynch's co-defendant Stephen Chamberlain was killed Sunday in Cambridgeshire after being hit by a car while running.

Luca Cari from the rescue teams noted that this search is slower than other shipwrecks like Costa Concordia due to depth and limited space for divers. "That was much simpler. Here everything is more tight," he said.

Among other survivors were Lynch's wife Angela Bacares and reportedly their daughter Hannah Lynch is among those missing. Morvillo's wife Neda is also unaccounted for according to his law firm Clifford Chance.

This tragic incident has left families and colleagues awaiting further news as search efforts continue under challenging conditions.