Authorities in Sicily have launched a manslaughter and negligence investigation following the tragic sinking of British tech tycoon Mike Lynch’s yacht, Bayesian, on August 19. The incident, which occurred during a violent storm, claimed the lives of seven people, including Lynch himself.
Investigation Underway
Prosecutors have confirmed that they are probing the incident for potential manslaughter and negligent shipwreck. However, as of now, there are no specific suspects, and the investigation is being conducted against “persons unknown.”
Deputy prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano explained that the circumstances surrounding the deaths of those on board are not entirely clear. While some of the victims may have attempted to escape, the evidence is not definitive at this preliminary stage. Autopsies are set to be conducted soon to gather more information.
The Incident
The yacht, which was anchored off the coast of Porticello, Sicily, encountered severe weather in the early hours of the morning. According to the lead prosecutor, Ambrogio Cartosio, the emergency began at 4:38 a.m. local time when a red flare was launched and spotted by the coast guard. Despite rescue efforts, the yacht sank within minutes, trapping several passengers inside.
The survivors, including the ship’s captain, crew, and passengers, were not tested for alcohol or drugs due to the priority of administering first aid. Some survivors were reported to have sustained serious injuries and were in a state of shock.
Recovery Efforts and Speculation
Divers from the local firefighter corps spent the following days attempting to recover the bodies of those trapped inside the sunken vessel, which now rests at a depth of about 50 meters (164 feet). The body of Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, was among those recovered from a cabin on the ship’s left side, the side closest to the water.
The investigation will focus on the survivors’ testimonies, with attention on whether the yacht followed proper procedures during the storm. A key part of the investigation will involve retrieving the wreck from the seabed, a task that the ship’s owners have agreed to finance.
Speculation has surrounded the incident, with Giovanni Costantino, CEO of the company that built the yacht, suggesting that human error may have played a role. He noted that the ship appeared to have taken on water and that its electrical systems had failed shortly before it sank.
Background on Mike Lynch
Mike Lynch, 59, was a prominent British tech entrepreneur known for founding Autonomy Corp., which was sold to Hewlett-Packard in 2011. Lynch and his family were reportedly celebrating his recent acquittal from fraud charges related to that sale when the tragedy struck. The charges had stemmed from allegations of accounting failures during the sale, which Lynch had spent years fighting in court.
The investigation into the sinking of the *Bayesian* is ongoing, with authorities in both Italy and the UK involved in probing the circumstances that led to this devastating loss of life.