The Italian Coast Guard rescued 15 people from the wreckage, including a 1-year-old girl|@guardiacostiera|X
A luxury yacht, Bayesian, sank off Sicily’s coast near Porticello, and its six passengers, including British tech mogul Mike Lynch and his daughter, are presumed dead after it was hit by a tornado early Monday morning.
Others missing include Jonathan Bloomer, the Chairman of Morgan Stanley International, and Chris Morvillo, former Assistant US Attorney, and their wives.
Rescue divers continue to search for the bodies.
What happened? A small waterspout—a type of tornado—capsized the yacht amid heavy rains and thunderstorms. According to Italian authorities, the vessel sank after its mast broke in half in the violent storm.
The yacht has 22 people on board. The Italian Coast Guard has rescued 15 people from the wreckage, including Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares and a 1-year-old girl. Authorities have confirmed one death, the yacht’s chef.
The passengers, all high-profile guests, were celebrating Lynch’s acquittal in a lawsuit filed by Hewlett-Packard that accused him of fraudulently inflating the value of his company, Autonomy, before HP bought it for $11 billion.
The search continues, with divers struggling through debris. Diving operations are underway, with Italian and UK teams working to reach the sunken vessel 160 feet underwater.
The incident occurred amid extreme weather conditions fueled by unusually warm Mediterranean waters.