Yacht Carrying Tech Tycoon Mike Lynch Sinks

Tech Tycoon Goes Missing After Yacht Sinks

British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, once hailed as the “British Bill Gates,” went missing after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Sicily during a severe storm, leaving authorities scrambling to locate him and five others. All the bodies have reportedly been discovered inside the sunken vessel as of August 21.

At a Glance

Mike Lynch, his daughter, and four others went missing after their yacht sank near Sicily
The yacht capsized after being struck by a waterspout during a severe storm
Lynch was celebrating his recent acquittal in a U.S. fraud case related to Hewlett-Packard
Search and rescue efforts have recovered six bodies, with divers searching the wreckage 50m below the surface
The incident comes days after a co-defendant in Lynch’s case died in a separate accident

Yacht Sinks in Freak Storm

The superyacht Bayesian, owned by Mike Lynch’s wife Angela Bacares, sank off the Sicilian coast near Porticello after encountering a severe storm that spawned waterspouts. The incident occurred around 5:00 AM local time, with the yacht’s anchor down, leading to the mast breaking and the vessel quickly sinking. Six passengers, including Lynch and his daughter Hannah, were missing after the incident. As of August 21, all the bodies of the missing people have reportedly been found.

Survivors of the incident, including Bacares, a 35-year-old mother named Charlotte Golunski, and her one-year-old daughter, were rescued from the turbulent sea by a nearby Dutch-flagged vessel. The mother recounted the harrowing experience, saying, “For two seconds I lost the little girl in the sea, then I immediately hugged her again amidst the fury of the waves.”

Mike Lynch, the UK tycoon who defeated US fraud charges, missing at sea

Mike Lynch, the tech tycoon missing after his luxury yacht sank off Sicily, spent more than a decade building Britain's biggest software company and then almost as long again fighting fraud charges related… pic.twitter.com/bcDKO3MzEP

— DD News (@DDNewslive) August 20, 2024

Mike Lynch: Tech Tycoon and Legal Battles

Mike Lynch, a prominent figure in the tech industry, had been celebrating his recent acquittal in a U.S. fraud case. The charges stemmed from the sale of his company, Autonomy, to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion in 2011. HP later accused Lynch of financial misconduct, leading to a protracted legal battle that spanned over a decade.

“I have various medical things that would have made it very difficult to survive,” Lynch told the Sunday Times in July. “If this had gone the wrong way, it would have been the end of life as I have known it in any sense.”

Despite his victory in the U.S. criminal case, Lynch still faces a civil case in London, where HP is seeking $4 billion in damages. The tech entrepreneur had been vocal about the reach of U.S. prosecutors, stating, “It has to be wrong that a US prosecutor has more power over a British citizen living in England than the UK police do.”

Other Victims and Tragic Coincidences

Among those who went missing were Christopher Morvillo, one of Lynch’s U.S. lawyers, and his wife Neda. Morvillo had been deeply involved in Lynch’s case, telling the For the Defense podcast, “It has been a constant presence in my life for the last 12 years.” Others include Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley’s London-based investment banking subsidiary, and his wife Judy.

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by this tragic event,” Hiscox CEO Aki Hussain said in a statement after the incident. “Our thoughts are with all those affected, in particular our chair, Jonathan Bloomer, and his wife Judy, who are among the missing, and with their family as they await further news from this terrible situation.”

In a tragic coincidence, Stephen Chamberlain, a former Autonomy executive who was acquitted alongside Lynch, died just days before the yacht incident after being struck by a car. His lawyer remembered him as “a courageous man with unparalleled integrity” who had “fought successfully to clear his good name at trial earlier this year.”

Search Efforts

Italian authorities launched an extensive search and rescue operation, involving caving and rescue diving teams. Wreckage of the Bayesian has been identified 50 meters below the water’s surface, and divers have been searching for the missing individuals. One body found previously was believed to be the chef, Recaldo Thomas.

The UK Foreign Office is supporting British nationals involved in the incident, and Britain’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch sent inspectors to assess the sinking.

This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable forces of nature and the fragility of life, even for those who have achieved great success and weathered significant challenges.