Irish-born tech tycoon among missing tourists after luxury yacht sinks off coast of Sicily
Irish-born technology tycoon Mike Lynch is among six tourists missing after a luxury yacht sank in bad weather off the coast of Sicily, sources said.
Irish-born technology tycoon Mike Lynch is among six tourists missing after a luxury yacht sank in bad weather off the coast of Sicily, sources said.
A body, believed to be that of the vessel’s chef, has been found and 15 people were rescued, according to local media. Four of the missing passengers are British and two are American, Italian news website la Reppublica stated.
The superyacht, named Bayesian, capsized at about 5am off Palermo and was flying a British flag, according to ship-tracking site Marine Traffic.
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The body was found near the wreck at a depth of 50m (164ft), fire and rescue services said.
A spokesperson for Mr Lynch, who was born in Ireland to a Tipperary mother and Cork father, and raised in London, said there was no comment.
The yacht sank as a fierce storm battered the area overnight. The daily Il Giornale di Sicilia newspaper reported that the vessel had mostly British passengers on board, but also people from New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland and British-French citizens.
In a statement to the Irish Mirror, the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs said it was "aware of the incident and is providing consular assistance".
One of the survivors, a British tourist named Charlotte, told la Reppublica she held her one-year-old daughter, Sofia, to stop her from drowning.
She said: “I held her afloat with all my strength, my arms stretched upwards to keep her from drowning. It was all dark. In the water I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I screamed for help but all I could hear around me was the screams of others.”
Charlotte and Sofia are being treated in hospital, as is Charlotte’s husband, James.
Karsten Borner, captain of a nearby boat, told journalists those missing included the Bayesian’s owner and a child, news agency Reuters reported.
He said his crew took on board some survivors who were on a life raft, including three who were seriously injured.
A spokesman for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “We are in contact with the local authorities following an incident in Sicily, and stand ready to provide consular support to British nationals affected.”
Bayesian completed a number of sailings in recent days, calling at various ports in Sicily, according to ship-tracking website VesselFinder.
The superyacht can accommodate up to 12 guests in six suites. She was built in 2008 by Italian company Perini Navi. Her registered owner is listed as Revtom Ltd.
There is little publicly-available online information about the company, which appears to be based on the Isle of Man.
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