British billionaire among 6 dead in Italian yacht capsizing

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) – Mike Lynch, a British tech entrepreneur and billionaire who owned the vessel that capsized off Italian coast on Monday, was among six people dead while his 18-year-old daughter remains missing, media reported on Thursday.

The Italian coast guard teams' underwater search robot and divers from the Italian Fire Department recovered two bodies, including that of Mike Lynch, 59. The search for his daughter is underway.

Speaking to local media outlets, Giovanni Constantino, the CEO of the Italian Sea Group, suggested that the sinking of the yacht may have been caused by a series of human errors.

He mentioned that the storm on Monday had been anticipated, and that the ship sank due to water intake.

Prosecutors have started an investigation into the incident, and witnesses, including the vessel's captain, James Cutfield, are being questioned, according to reports.

The exact cause of the disaster has yet to be determined.

Angela Bacares, the wife of Lynch, is among those rescued.

The 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged superyacht, named Bayesian, capsized on Monday morning due to heavy rains and stormy weather about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) east of Palermo in southern Italy. While 15 people were rescued, six others went missing.

Among the deceased was Recaldo Thomas, the yacht’s chef, whose body was found just hours after the vessel sank. On Wednesday, local media reported that two more bodies were recovered, although their identities have yet to be confirmed.

The people on board the yacht hailed from various countries, including the UK, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, France, Ireland, the US, and Canada.