British tech magnate Mike Lynch and five others are missing after their luxury superyacht sank during a freak storm off the coast of Sicily early Monday, according to Italy’s civil protection authorities. Lynch’s wife and 14 others managed to survive.
Lynch, recently acquitted in a major U.S. fraud trial, was among those unaccounted for after the 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged yacht, Bayesian, was struck by a waterspout near Porticello, close to Palermo. The yacht had been anchored when the sudden storm hit.
One body has been recovered, and police divers are attempting to access the hull of the yacht, now resting 50 meters (163 feet) below the surface. The yacht was carrying 22 people, including 10 crew members. A nearby ship, the Sir Robert Baden Powell, rescued 15 survivors, including Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares.
The survivors were taken to safety, with eight hospitalized and the others accommodated in a hotel. The search continues for the missing six, who are believed to be inside the sunken yacht.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing a flare from the yacht early in the morning, but by the time rescue efforts began, the Bayesian had already sunk, leaving only debris floating on the water.
The yacht, which was built in 2008, featured a minimalist interior designed by French designer Remi Tessier and was available for charter for up to €195,000 a week. The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch is sending inspectors to Italy for a preliminary assessment, and the British Foreign Office is providing consular support to the affected families.