Sicily (Agencies): The body of Mike Lynch, the renowned British tech entrepreneur often dubbed the “British Bill Gates,” has been recovered from the wreckage of the Bayesian superyacht, which sank off the coast of Sicily. Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, remains missing.
Lynch, the founder of the enterprise software firm Autonomy, became embroiled in a lengthy legal battle with Hewlett-Packard, which accused him of inflating his company’s value in an $11.7 billion sale. The yacht trip was meant to be a celebration following Lynch’s recent acquittal of fraud charges related to this sale.
The tragedy also claimed the lives of Morgan Stanley International Chair Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy, who were found dead in the wreckage. The Bayesian, a 184-foot British-registered sailboat, encountered a sudden and powerful storm near Porticello, Sicily, just before sunrise on Monday.
Of the 22 passengers and crew members on board, 15 were rescued, including Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares. The search continues for Hannah Lynch, with authorities facing challenges due to the depth and conditions of the wreckage site.
Local prosecutors have opened an investigation into the disaster, with initial reports suggesting that the crew made critical errors in not preparing for the storm, despite warnings in the shipping forecast1. The incident has raised questions about maritime safety and the responsibilities of yacht operators in ensuring the security of their passengers.
The loss of Lynch, Bloomer, and others on board has sent shockwaves through the tech and financial communities, highlighting the unpredictable dangers of maritime trave.