The body of British tech mogul Mike Lynch was recovered on Thursday, days after his luxury yacht Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily, Italy during a violent storm. Lynch, 59, was among seven people who died in the incident on August 19, 2024, after a waterspout struck the yacht.
The final missing person, Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah Lynch, was recovered on Friday, concluding the search. Hannah had been preparing to start her studies at Oxford University later this year. Fifteen others, including Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued after the yacht capsized.
The Bayesian, an 184-foot luxury yacht, sank approximately 164 feet below the surface, complicating recovery efforts. Due to the depth and dangerous conditions, divers were limited to 12-minute sessions underwater. According to Luca Cari, spokesperson for the Italian fire rescue service, progressing just over three feet within the wreckage can take as long as 24 hours, illustrating the immense difficulty of the recovery effort.
The yacht hosted a celebration for Lynch following his acquittal in a major U.S. fraud case related to the sale of his software company, Autonomy, to Hewlett-Packard. Other victims included New York attorney Christopher Morvillo and his wife Neda, Morgan Stanley executive Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy, and the yacht’s chef, Ricardo Thomas.
Italian authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the disaster, focusing on possible human error. Initial reports suggest that the yacht’s retractable keel may not have been fully deployed, contributing to its instability during the storm. Investigators are also examining whether open hatches allowed water to flood the vessel.
Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, which includes Perini Navi, the original builder of the Bayesian yacht in 2008, explained that the vessel experienced a series of indescribable and unreasonable errors that led to its sinking after taking on water. He emphasized that the exact cause would be determined by investigators but ruled out design or construction flaws, noting that the yacht had operated trouble-free for 16 years, even in harsher weather. Costantino placed the blame on the crew, criticizing them for not adequately preparing for the storm despite it being forecast in advance. He noted that passengers should have been called to safety and the boat secured by pulling up the anchor, closing hatches, lowering the keel, and taking other necessary precautions.
The sinking has sent shockwaves through the yachting and business communities alike. Lynch, a visionary in artificial intelligence and data processing, was regarded as a pivotal figure in the UK’s tech industry. Friends and colleagues have remembered him as a man of great integrity and generosity.
Tributes to Hannah Lynch have also been widespread. Friends and former teachers recalled her passion for literature and academic achievements, describing her as a promising young woman with a bright future at Oxford University.
Authorities have not yet decided whether to raise the Bayesian’s wreckage from the seabed. For now, the focus remains on concluding the investigation and providing closure to the victims’ families. Calls for improved maritime safety standards are growing within the yachting community to prevent similar tragedies.