The sinking of Mike Lynch's Bayesian superyacht was not caused by a storm, investigators have found. The £30 million vessel capsized off the coast of Sicily in August 2024, killing seven including the British tech billionaire and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah.
Italian prosecutors appointed experts to examine whether a freak weather event, described by witnesses as a 'tornado', was to blame. However, the report concluded it was 'little more than a squall, a sudden increase in wind speed that precedes thunderstorms and downpours', which the crew should have been able to manage.
According to the preliminary findings, the 184ft yacht capsized and sank due to improper actions by the crew, their underestimation of the weather, and several safety devices not being activated properly.
The probe is exploring alleged crimes including negligent shipwreck and multiple counts of manslaughter for the yacht's captain and two crew members. It has also raised the possibility of liability on the part of the superyacht's builder.
The Bayesian went down off the coast of Porticello in just 16 minutes after being hit by a fierce storm with 100 mph winds. Mr Lynch was onboard with 11 guests, including his daughter, who died, while his wife Angela Bacares was rescued alongside 10 crew members.
Other victims included the Bayesian's chef, Recaldo Thomas; Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy; and Mr Lynch's lawyer, Chris Morvillo, and his wife Neda Morvillo.
The yacht's owner, Italian Sea Group (TISG), has blamed the crew and sued Mr Lynch's widow for £400 million, claiming lost sales after the disaster. TISG's majority owner, Giovanni Costantino, insisted the yacht was 'unsinkable' and alleged doors and portholes were not secured and weather warnings were ignored. He also said the 16-minute sinking time allowed ample opportunity for rescue.
A source close to the Lynch family called the lawsuit 'cynical and predictable', stating that the UK investigation has raised unresolved questions about the yacht's design and stability. British investigators previously found the crew were unaware of the yacht's vulnerabilities to strong winds, which caused it to capsize.
In March, Mr Lynch's estate was ordered to pay $1.24 billion (£930 million) in damages to Hewlett Packard Enterprise over the fraudulent 2011 sale of his software company, Autonomy.
