Body of UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch recovered from sunken superyacht Bayesian

The body of prominent UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch has been recovered from the wreckage of his superyacht, Bayesian, which sank off the coast of Sicily earlier this week, according to Italian officials.

Lynch, who had recently been acquitted of US fraud charges, was among six people who went missing when the yacht went down during a fierce storm near Palermo on Monday.

The discovery of Lynch’s body comes three days after the tragic incident that also left five others missing, including his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah.

The search and recovery operations, conducted by Italian authorities, have been ongoing since the yacht sank, with divers scouring the wreckage off the coast of Porticello, a small seaside town near Palermo.

Five bodies recovered, search continues for the sixth

On Thursday morning, divers retrieved a fifth body from the sunken yacht, marking the latest in a series of grim discoveries.

However, the search continues for the sixth person still missing. The Italian authorities have not yet formally identified any of the recovered bodies, and a spokesperson for Lynch’s family has declined to comment on the situation.

The tragic sinking of Bayesian has cast a shadow over what was intended to be a celebratory voyage.

The trip had been organized as a celebration of Lynch’s recent legal victory in the United States, where he was acquitted of fraud charges after a lengthy 12-year legal battle.

The charges were related to the $11 billion sale of his software company, Autonomy, to Hewlett-Packard.

Prominent figures among the missing

The passengers on board Bayesian included several prominent figures, all of whom remain missing.

Among them were Christopher Morvillo, a partner at the law firm Clifford Chance who represented Lynch during his trial, and Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of the insurance group Hiscox and Morgan Stanley International.

Both men were closely involved in Lynch’s legal battle, with Bloomer serving as a witness for the defense during the trial.

Their wives, Neda Morvillo and Judy Bloomer, were also on the yacht and are among those still unaccounted for.

The situation remains dire as the search continues, with families and colleagues anxiously awaiting news.

Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, was one of the few survivors of the tragedy. She was among 15 people who were rescued in the early hours of Monday morning, shortly after the yacht went down.

The body of one crew member was also recovered on Monday, adding to the growing toll of the disaster.

Investigation into the sinking underway

Italian prosecutors have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the sinking of Bayesian. Eyewitnesses have reported that the yacht sank with alarming speed, possibly in just a matter of minutes. The cause of the rapid sinking remains unclear, and authorities are working to determine whether any technical or human errors contributed to the disaster.

As the investigation unfolds, the focus remains on the search for the remaining missing person and providing closure to the families of those who have been lost. The sinking of Bayesian has sent shockwaves through both the tech and legal communities, where Lynch was a well-known figure, and his legal battles had been closely followed.

This tragedy underscores the unpredictable dangers of sea travel, even for the most experienced sailors and well-equipped vessels. As the search continues, the families and loved ones of those involved are left grappling with the sudden and devastating loss.

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