Italian coast guard divers have retrieved five bodies from the luxury superyacht that sank off the coast of Sicily earlier this week, authorities announced. The final person that divers are still searching for as of Thursday is a woman, and the body of billionaire tech mogul Mike Lynch was among those recovered.
Italian coast guard divers have recovered five bodies, including that of billionaire tech mogul Mike Lynch, from the luxury superyacht that sank off the coast of Sicily earlier this week, authorities announced Thursday.
The final person that divers are still searching for is a woman, and the identities of the recovered bodies have yet to be released.
Trapped in the Depths: Italian Divers Recover Five Bodies from Sunken Superyacht
Lynch, a British tech titan, was reportedly aboard the Bayesian to celebrate his recent acquittal in a U.S. fraud case with associates who helped him through the trial.
Included among the six missing people were Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, Christopher Morvillo, an American lawyer with Clifford Chance who defended Lynch in the fraud case, and Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer, who testified in Lynch’s defense.
Trapped in the Depths: Italian Divers Recover Five Bodies from Sunken Superyacht
Americans Neda Morvillo and Chris Morvillo were believed to be among the missing when the Bayesian superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily early Monday. Morvillo’s wife, Neda, and Bloomer’s wife, Judy, were also among the missing.
Divers have been searching for the missing in the hull of the Bayesian, which now rests on the seabed 164 feet underwater. Though the sixth person, whom officials said is a woman, remains missing, the operation is considered a recovery since there have been no signs of life over three days of searching.
Trapped in the Depths: Italian Divers Recover Five Bodies from Sunken Superyacht
Ten crew members and 12 passengers, including British, American and Canadian nationals, were onboard when a waterspout is believed to have struck and capsized the vessel sometime around 5 a.m. Monday near the port of Porticello, where it was anchored, officials have said.
A nearby sailboat rescued 15 people, including a 1-year-old girl. The body of onboard chef Recaldo Thomas, an Antiguan citizen, was recovered Monday.
Trapped in the Depths: Italian Divers Recover Five Bodies from Sunken Superyacht
Investigators are continuing to search for the cause of the sinking, which has left family and friends distraught.
“This is a devastating loss,” said a spokesperson for Lynch’s company, Autonomy. “Mike was a brilliant entrepreneur and a generous philanthropist, and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”
Trapped in the Depths: Italian Divers Recover Five Bodies from Sunken Superyacht
The sinking of the Bayesian has also raised questions about the safety of superyachts, which have become increasingly popular among the wealthy. Experts say that while superyachts are generally well-equipped with safety features, they can still be vulnerable to severe weather conditions.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
