The search and rescue efforts for six people, including technology tycoon Mike Lynch, who has Irish family roots, are ongoing after their luxury yacht, Bayesian, sank in a tornado off the coast of Porticello, Sicily. According to Vincenzo Zagarola, an official from the Italian Coastguard, the working theory is that the bodies of the six missing individuals are still trapped inside the boat, as it is believed to have sunk quickly, leaving no time for them to escape. Rescue efforts by sea and air have been underway for 36 hours, but so far, no signs of life have been found.
The six missing individuals include Lynch, his daughter Hannah Lynch, Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo, and his wife Neda Morvillo. Lynch’s father was from Co Cork and his mother was from Co Tipperary in Ireland. News of the tragedy has sent shockwaves globally, particularly in the business and legal communities, as Lynch had recently been cleared of massive fraud charges related to an $11 billion sale to US company Hewlett Packard. The boat trip was a celebration of his acquittal.
According to reports, the yacht was moored around half-a-mile off the coast when it sank at around 5am local time on Monday. Fifteen of the 22 passengers and crew onboard, including Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued after escaping onto a lifeboat. One body was recovered at the scene of the sinking, reportedly belonging to the ship’s chef.
Six Feared Trapped Inside Sinking Luxury Yacht (Image via Getty)
As the search efforts continue, authorities are developing a plan to enter the wreckage of the yacht, which is resting on the seabed at a depth of 50 meters. The operation is described as “complex,” with divers limited to 12-minute underwater shifts. Italian emergency services are working tirelessly to locate the missing individuals and provide support to the survivors and their families.
Among the survivors is Ayla Ronald, a New Zealand national working at Clifford Chance, who was invited aboard as a thank-you for her assistance in Lynch’s recent court case. Her father, Lin Ronald, spoke to the Telegraph, saying that she had been invited on the trip as a reward for her help and has been sent text messages by his daughter confirming that she and her partner are alive, but with no updates on the missing personnel or those who were rescued.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves globally, with messages of condolence pouring in from the international community. Ed Llewellyn, the British ambassador to Italy, met with some of the survivors of the sinking and expressed his deep sympathy for what had occurred. As the investigation into the sinking continues, the focus is on finding the remaining six individuals and providing support to those affected by this devastating tragedy.
