Search resumes in Sicily yacht sinking with finance boss among missing

ROME

Health workers carry a body bag on the pier as rescue operation continues for the missing people who were on board a sailboat that sank in Palermo, Sicily, Italy, Aug. 19, 2024

Specialist divers on Tuesday launched a fresh search for six people missing since their yacht capsized off the Italian island of Sicily, including U.K. tech tycoon Mike Lynch and Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of Morgan Stanley International.

The British-flagged Bayesian, a 56-meter (180-foot) luxury vessel carrying 22 people, was anchored approximately 700 meters from port near Porticello, east of Palermo, when disaster struck early Monday morning. A waterspout, described as a mini tornado over water, hit the yacht with sudden, violent force, causing it to capsize.

Of those aboard, 15 people were rescued, including a mother clutching her one-year-old baby. Tragically, one man, reported to be the yacht's chef, was found dead. The six individuals still unaccounted for include Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, Bloomer, and Bloomer's wife, Judy.

Bloomer is also the chair of Hiscox, which issued a statement saying it was "deeply shocked and saddened" by the incident.

Salvo Cocina, head of the Civil Protection Agency in Sicily, confirmed that Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, was among those rescued. The passengers were reportedly guests of Lynch, celebrating his recent acquittal in a high-profile U.S. fraud case.

On Tuesday, three divers equipped with oxygen bottles began their descent to the wreck, which lies about 50 meters below the sea surface. A previous nighttime search proved challenging, with rescuers reporting limited access to the bridge due to furniture obstructing passage.

Survivor Charlotte Golunski, a board director at Luminance, a company founded by Lynch, recounted the terrifying moments of the incident to ANSA news agency. "It was terrible. The boat was hit by really strong wind and shortly after it went down," she said, describing how she momentarily lost grip of her young daughter in the turbulent waters before managing to grab her "while the sea raged."

The Bayesian, built by Italian shipbuilder Perini Navi in 2008, was known for its impressive 75-meter mast, reportedly the tallest aluminum sailing mast in the world. Just hours before the storm, the yacht was photographed lit up at anchor, its towering mast shining in the darkness.

Lynch, 59, often referred to as the U.K.'s answer to Bill Gates, had recently been acquitted of all charges in an $11 billion fraud case in San Francisco, linked to the sale of his software firm Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard.

Italian authorities have opened an investigation into the incident. The sudden and severe nature of the storm that caused the capsize has raised questions about weather forecasting and yacht safety protocols in the area.

As the search continues, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable dangers at sea, even for well-equipped luxury vessels. It also highlights the ongoing challenges faced by rescue teams in maritime disasters, where time is of the essence and conditions can be treacherous.

Local maritime authorities and international rescue organizations are closely monitoring the situation, with hopes diminishing but efforts continuing to locate the missing individuals.