Mike Lynch’s friend mourns ‘unbelievably tragic’ death after fraud trial acquittal
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A manslaughter investigation has been launched over the deaths of seven people following the sinking of a luxury yacht off the coast of Sicily.
British tech mogul Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among those who died after the Bayesian superyacht sank near Porticello at about 5am local time on Monday.
Five of the bodies onboard the sunken yacht were found in a single cabin which “was not theirs”, prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano revealed at a press conference in nearby town Termini Imerese on Saturday.
He told journalists the Italian Air Force had said the sinking was most likely caused by a downburst a localised, powerful wind that descended from a thunderstorm and spread out rapidly upon hitting the ground.
Ambrogio Cartosio, chief prosecutor of Termini Imeres, said officials will examine whether the captain, crew, individuals in charge of supervision, the ship-builder, or others could bear responsibility over the deaths.
Meanwhile, more tributes have come in for those who died, including for Mr Lynch’s daughter Hannah. Chief stewardess of the Bayesian, Sasha Murray, described the teenager as a “diamond in the sea of stars”.
Hannah’s sister, Esme, said she was “the most amazing, supportive and joyful sister”.
Key Points
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Who was on the Bayesian? How Mike Lynch’s inner circle celebrated end of billionaire’s 13 year court battle
Barney Davis25 August 2024 07:30
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What is a ‘downburst’?
Officials said the superyacht had been hit by a downburst and the Italian officials said they would be looking at how it could affect one vehicle and not other nearby vessels, according to the translation of the conference.
A downburst is an intense burst of wind at ground level emenating from the strong downdraft of a thunderstorm; the wind often blows radially from a point source, as opposed to the rotating winds associated with a tornado.
Downbursts usually last just a few minutes, and can be particularly dangerous for aviation.
They have been blamed for a number of air crashes over the years, although the risk tends to be well forecast by meteorologists allowing pilots to avoid them.
The Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)
Barney Davis25 August 2024 06:30
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Recap: Prosecutor demands time to assess whether manslaughter charges can be brought
Ambrogio Cartosio, chief prosecutor of Termini Imeres, told a press conference he thought it was “probable that offences were committed” over the seven deaths during the sinking of the Bayesian.
He said officials the will examine whether the captain, crew, individuals in charge of supervision, the ship-builder, or others could bear responsibility over the deaths.
“We will establish each element’s responsibility – that will be done by the inquiry, so we can’t do that prematurely.
“For me, it is probable that offences were committed – that it could be a case of manslaughter – but we can only establish that if you give us the time to investigate.”
Barney Davis25 August 2024 05:30
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Experts say recovery of Bayesian could take two months
Raffaele Macauda, deputy commander of the Palermo coastguard, told the media it was “difficult” getting into the yacht’s cabins and it required “very lengthy periods to remove obstacles” through them.
Mr Macauda said the coastguard is conducting in-depth environmental monitoring.
He adds that the owner of the Bayesian has expressed an interest in recovering the vessel from the sea floor, but the timing of this was uncertain.
Some experts have estimated it could take eight weeks to recover the yacht.
Final moments of seven who died in Bayesian tragedy revealed by fire service boss
Barney Davis25 August 2024 04:30
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Teenager who died in superyacht tragedy was ‘a diamond in a sea of stars’ who vowed to save her parents
Barney Davis25 August 2024 03:30
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Next step: Pulling the Bayesian out of the sea ‘complex and costly’
The sinking has puzzled naval marine experts who say a boat like the Bayesian, built by Italian high-end yacht manufacturer Perini, should have withstood the storm and in any case should not have sunk as quickly as it did.
Pulling the Bayesian out of the sea will help investigators determine what happened, but the operation is likely to be complex and costly. The wreck is lying apparently intact on its side at a depth of 50 metres (164 feet).“It’s in the interests of the owners and managers of the ship to salvage it,” Cartosio said, adding “they have assured their full cooperation”.
Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group which owns Perini, told Reuters this week the shipwreck was the result of a string of “indescribable, unreasonable errors” made by the crew, and ruled out any design or construction failings.
Barney Davis25 August 2024 02:15
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No tornado alert before sinking – coastguard say
Raffaele Macauda, deputy commander of the Palermo coastguard, said there was no alert of a tornado at the time of the sinking on Monday morning.
Mr Macauda told a press conference: “Given that the conditions were such, there wasn’t anything to suggest there could be an extreme situation arising.
“There are vessels that can monitor, after all, these events and one would have thought that the captain had taken precautions.”
Deputy Prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano told journalists the Italian Air Force had confirmed the sinking was most likely caused by a downburst which are powerful winds that descend from a thunderstorm and spread out quickly once they hit the ground.
Officials will look into the safety equipment on the sunken vessel.
Mr Cammarano was asked about whether there is a black box and if the hatches were left open.
He said investigators do not have exact information about the black box and that the first phase of the inquiry will look into it.
(costanostrayachtsupply.com/PA Wire)
Barney Davis25 August 2024 01:10
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Captain and other survivors questioned after Bayesian tragedy
The captain James Cutfield and the other survivors have been questioned this week by authorities. None of them have commented publicly on how the ship went down.
Raffaele Cammarano, another prosecutor speaking at the same news conference, said that when authorities questioned Cutfield he had been “extremely cooperative”.
Barney Davis25 August 2024 00:01
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Lynch’s pay tribute to father and daughter lost on Bayesian
Hannah Lynch’s sister Esme described her as “the most amazing, supportive and joyful sister”.
Paying tribute, she said: “Hannah often burst into my bedroom and lay down with me. Sometimes beaming with a smile, sometimes cheeky, sometimes for advice. No matter what, she brought boundless love to me.
“She was endlessly caring, passionately mad, unintentionally hilarious and the most amazing, supportive and joyful sister and best friend to me.
“And on top of all this, she had even more love to give endlessly to all her friends, and passion to give to her incredible studies and goals.
“She is my little angel, my star.”
A spokesperson for the Lynch family said: “The Lynch family is devastated, in shock and is being comforted and supported by family and friends.
“Their thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy.
“They would like to sincerely thank the Italian coastguard, emergency services and all those who helped in the rescue.
“Their one request now is that their privacy be respected at this time of unspeakable grief.”
Hannah Lynch, aged 18, was set to go to Oxford University following the trip on the luxury yacht Bayesian (Family Handout/PA Wire)
Barney Davis24 August 2024 23:02
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Diver describes tragic conditions aboard the Bayesian wreck
A diver described the emotional moment the final body was pulled from the wreckage of the Bayesian when they all stopped to applaud as Hannah Lynch made it to shore.
Inspector Vincenzo Nardoni, a diver drafted in from the fire brigade’s unit in Naples, said: “It was an emotional liberation, a relief of stress.
“Because stress is our daily bread. We work on call and in emergencies, and we intervene immediately. So stress is our baggage, is what we bring with us.”
He added “We had to revise the scene from a different angle from the way we’d normally see it, and that made everything more difficult.’
“We entered the confined spaces, having already performed evaluations on the safe point to enter inside the yacht. We found the safest spot and got inside from there.
“But inside it was a very confusing place, with wardrobes and furniture whirling all around us, and lots of mirrors reflecting back our lights at us.
“The bodies were all wedged in tight spots, with furniture on top or beside them. They were all stuck there.”
Barney Davis24 August 2024 22:10
