Entrepreneur Mike Lynch, often referred to as the "British Bill Gates," has gone missing following the sinking of his yacht. Lynch is the founder of the software company Autonomy, which was acquired by Hewlett Packard for $11.1 billion. He is also a member of the Royal Academy of Engineering in the UK and the Royal Society.
Lynch is one of six individuals reported missing after his superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily during a storm. There were 22 people aboard during the incident, 15 of whom were rescued by the Italian coast guard and firefighters. One individual has been confirmed deceased.
The entrepreneur and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah are considered missing, while his wife Angela Bakare has been rescued. Additionally, another British national, two Americans, and a Canadian are also unaccounted for. The Italian coast guard reports:
“At around 5:00 AM this morning, after a severe storm, the 56-meter British-flagged yacht Bayesian sank near Porticello.”
Local service reports indicate that the yacht capsized after being struck by a mini-tornado created by wind and water during the storm. Fishermen spotted the funnel cloud offshore around 3:55 AM local time, and shortly thereafter saw a distress signal that may have come from the Bayesian. When they arrived, they only found debris floating in the water.
Eight of the rescued individuals, including a child, are currently in local hospitals in stable condition. A one-year-old baby was saved by their mother, who held the child's head above water and shouted for help.
The captain of another nearby vessel told reporters that he picked up the 15 survivors from a life raft and that the Bayesian had capsized before sinking. The yacht Bayesian is owned by Revtom, a company registered in the Isle of Man, which is solely owned by Angela Bakare. The luxury yacht can carry 12 guests and ten crew members.
In recent years, Mike Lynch has been in the news due to a lawsuit from HP. The company alleges that Autonomy exaggerated its financial status and misled regulators to facilitate the acquisition. Lynch was extradited to the United States and won the case earlier this year. After being acquitted in the HP case, Lynch stated: “I look forward to returning to the UK and getting back to what I love most: my family and innovation in my field.”
The Italian coast guard continues the search, deploying both divers and helicopter teams. They have located wreckage approximately 50 meters below the surface. The operation is set to continue throughout the night, with additional teams of specialists dispatched to the scene.
Sources: PC Gamer, The Guardian, BBC
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