British Tech Mogul Mike Lynch Missing After Superyacht Sinks in Sicilian Storm

British tech magnate Mike Lynch and five others are missing after their luxury superyacht, Bayesian, sank off Sicily during a severe storm. Lynch’s wife and 14 other individuals survived the incident. The superyacht was struck by a waterspout while anchored near Porticello, leading to its sinking.

The yacht, which had 22 people on board, was battered by a fierce storm. A nearby vessel, the Sir Robert Baden Powell, rescued the 15 survivors, including Lynch’s wife. Rescue operations are ongoing, with authorities using divers and helicopters to search for the missing people inside the wreckage.

A survivor, Charlotte Golunski, managed to keep her young daughter afloat until rescue came. Fishermen at the scene reported seeing debris but no additional survivors. The search efforts are being supported by various Italian rescue services.

The incident occurred shortly after Mike Lynch’s acquittal in a high-profile U.S. fraud trial. Lynch, once a prominent figure in British technology, was found not guilty of charges related to the sale of his company Autonomy Corp. to Hewlett-Packard.

The Bayesian, a luxury yacht with a distinctive 75-meter mast, was available for charter at significant costs. The yacht’s sinking marks a tragic end to what was intended to be a luxurious voyage for Lynch and the others on board.