In the early hours of Monday, a luxury superyacht owned by British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch capsized and sank off the coast of Sicily, leaving at least one person dead and six missing. The vessel, caught in a sudden tornado near Palermo, was carrying 22 people, predominantly British nationals, as reported by Sky News.
Italian Coast Guard officials reported that 15 individuals, including Lynch's wife Angela Bacares and a one-year-old girl, have been rescued. The yacht, last tracked east of Palermo with a navigation status of "at anchor," sank around 4:30 AM local time.
Eyewitnesses described a harrowing scene as the storm hit. "It all happened in really little time," said Karsten Borner, captain of a nearby boat that assisted in the rescue. CCTV footage from a local restaurant captured the intensity of the weather event that led to the disaster.
As the search continues, deep-sea divers are exploring the wreckage, now resting about 50 meters below the surface. The Italian authorities have deployed boats, helicopters, and specialist cave divers from across the country to aid in the ongoing rescue efforts.
Lynch, often referred to as the "British Bill Gates," made headlines recently after being acquitted in a high-profile U.S. fraud case related to the sale of his company, Autonomy, to Hewlett-Packard.
The UK Foreign Office confirmed it is in contact with Italian authorities, stating, "We stand ready to provide consular support to British nationals affected." Meanwhile, survivors are reported to be "deeply disturbed" by the experience, according to local officials.
The yacht's decision to anchor near the port was deemed reasonable by experts given the available weather forecasts.
As rescue operations continue, authorities are urging heightened caution for all maritime traffic in the area.