Posted on August 19, 2024
According to Reuters, British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, once dubbed ‘Britain’s Bill Gates’, is among those missing after the 56-metre Perini Navi sailing yacht Bayesian capsized and sunk off the coast of Palermo, Italy. Lynch is among several people missing. One person has been confirmed dead, according to the Italian Port Authority.
Live updates:
- A search and rescue is currently underway for six people missing in the waters off Palermo on the Italian island of Sicily.
- Mike Lynch, a British technology entrepreneur who co-founded Autonomy Corporation and founded Invoke Capital, is among the missing. Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, and a one-year-old child are among fifteen people who were rescued.
- Another sailing vessel in the area, the 42-metre Sir Robert Baden Powell, is understood to have stepped in to offer assistance in the initial rescue.
- It is understood that divers have already dived to reach the hull, which lies at 45 metres of depth about half a mile from the coast. The yacht had the largest aluminium masts of any sailing yacht on the water.
- International media has reported that many of the passengers are British nationals.
- Eyewitnesses in the area reported “hurricane” conditions off the coast but local weather websites did not indicate any severe squall, which suggests that the weather event was not forecast.
- At around 5am local time on 19 August, Bayesian was hit by bad weather and sunk. The sailing yacht was anchored or idle at the time of the incident.
Built in Italy by renowned builder Perini Navi and delivered in 2008, the yacht’s naval architecture was developed by Ron Holland Design while the interior design is by Rémi Tessier. She was formerly known as Salute and was last refitted in 2016. She was listed for sale earlier this year, according to BOATPro. The yacht had accommodation for nine guests and 12 crew.
