UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch among five bodies confirmed in Sicily yacht disaster
Five bodies have been found including UK tech mogul Mike Lynch, after four days of searching following the sinking of a luxury yacht off the coast of Sicily.
The Bayesian yacht was carrying 22 people when it sank off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday morning. In the hours following, 15 people were rescued, including Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares.
A body of a man, later confirmed to be boat’s chef Recaldo Thomas, was found on Monday morning.
Since then, six people were uncounted for, mogul Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah Lynch, Morgan Stanley International Bank chair Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy and and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda.
After three days of searching, the Italian Coast Guard and Italian Fire and Rescue Services have since found five bodies inside the wreck
Two were found around 2:30pm (UK time), with a further two found about two hours later and the final body was discovered around 6pm (UK time) on Wednesday.
All five bodies were brought onshore, and identified.
On Thursday at 9am (UK time), it was revealed by Sky News that Lynch is among the dead, along with Bloomer, his wife, Morvillo and his wife Neda.
The final missing people is Lynch’s daughter, Hannah, as also reported by PA news agency.
No formal identification of the bodies has been announced by the Italian authorities.
The Italian Fire and Rescue (Vigili del Fuoco) tweeted on X on Thursday morning that the “dives into the sea had begun in the early hours of the morning and are continuing for the search and recovery of the last missing person” [Translated from Italian].
A statement from the Bloomer family on Thursday afternoon said: “We are grieving for our loved ones and all of those affected by the tragedy. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the emergency services and everyone who helped tirelessly in this rescue operation.”
“Our parents were incredible people and an inspiration to many, but first and foremost they were focused on and loved their family and spending time with their new grandchildren. Together for five decades, our only comfort is that they are still together now.”
“This is an unimaginable grief to shoulder. Our only ask is that our family’s privacy is respected at this time.”