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Yacht Sinking Tragedy: UK Tech Titan And Family Found Dead In Sicily

The bodies of all six missing persons have reportedly been found by divers scouring the wreck of the luxury yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily on Monday.

Among the missing were UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, his teenage daughter Hannah Lynch, Morgan Stanley International chair Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy, and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda, as reported by BBC.

Yacht Sinking Tragedy UK Tech Titan And Family Found Dead In Sicily
Photo Credit: X

Yacht Sinking Tragedy: UK Tech Titan And Family Found Dead

These individuals had been unaccounted for since the vessel sank on Monday morning. The 56-metre yacht, named Bayesian and sailing under a British flag, was carrying 22 people when it anchored just offshore near the port of Porticello.

The vessel was then struck by what is believed to have been a tornado or waterspout, causing it to sink. The body of the yacht's chef, Recaldo Thomas, was located shortly after the sinking. According to sources cited by Reuters, four more bodies were discovered on Wednesday, although the names or genders of the victims were not immediately disclosed.

Later, sources among firefighters divers informed The Guardian that the last two bodies had also been found. Some UK media outlets have reported that two of the bodies are those of Mike Lynch and his daughter, but The Guardian has not independently verified this information, and no formal confirmation has been provided by the authorities.

Body bags were observed being brought into the harbour aboard a fire brigade boat and then lifted onto the quayside. The search has proven challenging for rescue teams, who faced difficulties accessing the yacht's hull. Once the hull was breached, the investigation was further obstructed by furniture and debris inside the vessel.

Investigators are currently questioning witnesses and survivors to gather more information. The yacht's captain, James Cutfield, 51, was reportedly interrogated for more than two hours. Separate investigations have been launched by the port authority and the public prosecutor in the town of Termini Imerese, Sicily, to determine whether all necessary safety measures were taken by the crew.

It is understood that four inspectors from the UK's Marine Accident Investigation Branch have arrived in Sicily to conduct a preliminary assessment of the incident. Lord Deben, a former cabinet minister, commented on the tragic loss of his friend Mike Lynch, stating that Lynch had been at the "beginning of a new life" when the boat capsized during the violent storm, as per media reports.

Deben, the former Conservative MP John Gummer, noted that Lynch had been preparing for a fresh start after being cleared in June of fraud charges in the US related to the sale of his company, Autonomy, to Hewlett-Packard in 2011. Deben expressed his sorrow, saying that Lynch had made significant contributions to British IT and was poised to continue doing so, adding, "We pray that he can do it again."

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