A British-flagged superyacht, the Bayesian, sank off the coast of Sicily during freak weather early on Monday morning, sparking a dramatic rescue mission. Tragically, the vessel’s cook lost his life in the incident, while 15 people were rescued and six remain missing.
Among the missing are four British nationals and two Americans, including individuals from New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland, and British-French citizens. The yacht reportedly had mostly British passengers on board, with some individuals having worked on the recent trial of British businessman Mike Lynch, who was acquitted of fraud in the US.
Mike Lynch, a UK tech entrepreneur once dubbed “Britain’s Bill Gates,” was on the yacht with his daughter Hannah, who is also missing. Lynch, who made his fortune selling his company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard, was recently acquitted of fraud charges in the US after a lengthy legal battle.
Other notable individuals on board include Chris Morvillo, a lawyer who represented Lynch in his trial, Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International, and his wife Judy. The group was reportedly celebrating Lynch’s acquittal on the ill-fated trip.
Among those rescued are nine members of the yacht’s crew, including a British mother named Charlotte Golunski, who saved her baby girl from drowning during the ordeal. Ayla Ronald, another lawyer who worked on Lynch’s legal team, was also rescued.
The search for the missing individuals, including Lynch’s daughter Hannah, continues as specialist divers from the Italian fire brigade scour the waters off Sicily. The tragic incident has left many in shock and mourning, with hopes for the safe return of those still missing.
