Five bodies recovered from Mike Lynch’s sunken superyacht in Sicily

The Bayesian, a 56-metre yacht flying the British flag, was carrying 10 crew members and 12 passengers when it sank off the coast of Sicily

by Gulf Business with Reuters

August 22, 2024

A rescue boat of the Vigili del Fuoco, the Italian Corps. of Firefighters operates off Porticello near Palermo, on August 20, 2024 a day after the British-flagged luxury yacht Bayesian sank. Specialist divers launched a fresh search for six people, including UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch and the chairman of Morgan Stanley International, missing since their yacht capsized off the Italian island of Sicily. The Bayesian, which had 22 people aboard including 10 crew, was anchored some 700 metres from port before dawn when it was struck by a waterspout, a sort of mini tornado. Fifteen people aboard, including a mother with a one-year-old baby, were plucked to safety; one man has been found dead; and six people remain missing. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP) (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Image credit: Getty Images/Wikipedia

The bodies of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah have been found in the yacht which sank off Sicily, the Daily Telegraph newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Italian authorities have recovered the bodies of five out of the six missing passengers from the wreckage of the superyacht Bayesian, which sank off the coast of Sicily earlier this week.

The vessel went down on Monday after being struck by a waterspout—a rare and powerful tornado over water—causing it to sink to a depth of 50 metres (164 feet). The tragedy occurred approximately 700 metres off the Sicilian coast.

The Italian Coastguard has been conducting an intensive search operation since the incident, scouring the wreckage in hopes of finding survivors or recovering the deceased.

Who died aboard the Bayesian

On Wednesday, the bodies of the first two victims were brought ashore at Porticello harbour. Later that evening, two more bodies were retrieved from the water before the search was temporarily suspended due to nightfall. A fifth body was recovered on Thursday, leaving one passenger still unaccounted for.

While the Italian authorities have yet to formally identify the bodies, the victims are believed to include several high-profile individuals, including UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah Lynch, and Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley Bank International, along with his wife, Judy Bloomer.

Sicily yacht sinking — Left to right: Jonathan Bloomer and Mike Lynch

The Bayesian, a 56-metre yacht flying the British flag, was carrying 10 crew members and 12 passengers when it sank. Of the 22 people on board, 15 survived.

Mike Lynch, a prominent figure in the technology sector, was known for founding the software company Autonomy, which he sold to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011 for $11.1bn. The deal, however, was later mired in controversy, with HP alleging accounting improprieties at Autonomy—a claim Lynch consistently denied. Despite facing legal challenges in both the UK and the US, Lynch was acquitted of 15 counts of fraud in the US in June. His daughter, Hannah Lynch, had recently celebrated her A-level results and secured a place at Oxford University to study English.

Jonathan Bloomer, 70, was another significant figure on board the Bayesian. A well-connected individual in London, UK, Bloomer had a distinguished career, including a decade at the insurance giant Prudential, where he served as Chief Executive for five years. After leaving Prudential, he took on several senior roles, including chairman of Morgan Stanley International and chairman of the insurer Hiscox, a position he assumed in July 2023. His wife, Judy Bloomer, was a former director of Change Real Estate and a long-serving trustee of the gynaecological cancer research charity, the Eve Appeal.

The Bayesian‘s tragic sinking has sent shockwaves through the professional communities to which the victims belonged. Statements from companies and organisations linked to the victims have expressed deep sorrow and offered condolences to the families affected.

Morgan Stanley and Hiscox both released statements expressing their shock and sadness over the incident, while the Eve Appeal described Judy Bloomer as a “dear friend” and expressed concern for her and her family.

Among the other victims were Chris Morvillo, a partner at the law firm Clifford Chance, and his wife, Neda Morvillo, a luxury jewellery designer. Chris Morvillo had been a key legal adviser to Mike Lynch during his US criminal trial. Clifford Chance confirmed the couple’s involvement in the tragedy, stating that their “utmost priority” was to provide support to the family and colleagues affected.

Italian authorities have maintained a cautious approach in identifying the victims, adhering to protocols that require formal identification by a family member or close associate before any official announcements are made.

The incident has cast a pall over the yachting community and has led to renewed calls for stringent safety measures, particularly in areas prone to extreme weather events like the Mediterranean.

Read: Morgan Stanley boss Jonathan Bloomer, tech tycoon Mike Lynch missing in Sicily yacht sinking