sir stanley thomas yacht

Autopsies show drowning as the cause of death for a US lawyer and wife in super yacht sinking

Authorities say the first autopsies of victims of the Bayesian super yacht sinking off Sicily show drowning as the cause of death

MILAN -- The first autopsies of victims of the Bayesian super yacht sinking off Sicily show drowning as the cause of death, authorities said Monday.

U.S. lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda were among seven people who died when the Bayesian sank in a sudden, violent storm on Aug. 19. The autopsies were carried out by coroners designated by Palermo prosecutors, who confirmed the results.

Autopsies are planned Wednesday on the bodies of Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley’s London-based investment banking subsidiary, and his wife, Judy.

They are pending for the remaining three victims, British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, who had organized the yacht trip to celebrate a recent legal victory, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah and the yacht’s cook, Recaldo Thomas.

Morvillo was one of Lynch’s U.S. lawyers in a fraud case involving the sale in 2011 of Autonomy, a search engine company that became a symbol of British ingenuity, to Hewlett-Packard, in an $11 billion deal that quickly turned sour over allegations Lynch had cooked the books to overvalue Autonomy. He was acquitted in June.

Prosecutors are investigating the captain and two crew members for possible responsibility in connection with the sinking. The 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged luxury yacht sank during what appears to have been a sudden downburst, or localized powerful wind from a thunderstorm that spreads rapidly after hitting the surface. Fifteen people, including Lynch's wife, were rescued.

Prosecutors said raising the Bayesian and examining the yacht for evidence would provide key elements to the investigation. No timeline has been determined.

This story was first published on Sept. 2, 2024. It was updated on Sept. 3, 2024 to correct the headline to say lawyer and his wife instead of banker and his wife.

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Autopsies reveal cause of death for nyc lawyer and his wife killed in bayesian $40m yacht wreck.

New York City lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda — two victims of the Bayesian tragedy — drowned when the superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily last month, according to autopsies.

The Morvillos were among seven people killed after the $40 million boat, owned by British tech billionaire Mike Lynch, capsized in a ferocious storm on Aug. 19.

Lynch and his daughter Hannah also died in the wreck.

The first autopsies in the tragedy were conducted on the bodies of the Morvillos.

Autopsies on the bodies of Morgan Stanley Bank International chair Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy, are planned for Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.

A judicial investigation is probing three Bayesian crew members for suspected negligent manslaughter and causing the shipwreck.

The ship’s captain, James Cutfield, has not spoken about the wreck and refused to talk when questioned by prosecutors . 

Other members of the crew have maintained that they did what they could to save those on board. 

One crew member, the ship’s cook Recaldo Thomas, was also one of the victims. He was the only crew member who did not survive. 

The exact cause of the wreck has yet to be determined. Some have suspected that a rare weather phenomenon, a “black swan” weather event , may have contributed to the accident. Naval experts, however, have suggested that the 185-foot yacht could have withstood the storm . 

The Bayesian has yet to be salvaged.

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Who was onboard tech mogul Mike Lynch's Bayesian yacht?

Topic: Disasters, Accidents and Emergency Incidents

Six people are missing, including a man dubbed the British Bill Gates, after a luxury yacht sank off the Sicilian coast.

British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch — freshly acquitted from a decade-long trial — had invited his work colleagues aboard a trip through the Mediterranean coast when a freak storm saw the yacht sink within moments.

Fifteen people escaped from the sinking vessel. The search for the missing continues.

Here's what we know so far: 

What happened?

The Italian coastguard said the yacht — the Bayesian — was anchored off the shore of port city Porticello, near the Sicilian capital Palermo, when it was hit by bad weather sometime after 4am on Monday, local time. 

Eyewitnesses said it vanished quickly beneath the waves shortly before dawn.

Managers of the sailing vessel Bayesian, Camper & Nicholsons, confirmed to the ABC that the Bayesian encountered severe weather and subsequently sank. 

"Our priority is assisting with the ongoing search and providing all necessary support to the rescued passengers and crew," they said. 

"The wind was very strong. Bad weather was expected, but not of this magnitude," a coastguard official told Reuters.

Sicily's civil protection agency head, Salvo Cocina, said a waterspout — a tornado over the water — could have struck the yacht.

"They were in the wrong place at the wrong time," Mr Cocina added. 

Storms and heavy rainfall had swept down Italy in recent days after weeks of scorching heat, lifting the temperature of the Mediterranean Sea to record levels and raising the risk of extreme weather conditions, experts told Reuters.

"The sea surface temperature around Sicily was around 30 degrees Celsius, which is almost 3 degrees more than normal. This creates an enormous source of energy that contributes to these storms," meteorologist Luca Mercalli said.

Rescuers recover the body of one of the people aboard the Bayesian.  ( AP: Lucio Ganci )

Captain Karsten Borner of the Sir Robert Baden Powell vessel told journalists he noticed the Bayesian nearby during the storm, but after it calmed he saw a red flare and realised the ship had simply disappeared.

Mr Borner said he and a crew member boarded their tender and found a lifeboat with 15 people, some of them injured, who they then took aboard and alerted the coast guard.

Search crews, including helicopters and divers, are continuing to search the wreckage, lying at a depth of 49 metres.

Specialist divers reached the ship on Monday but access was limited due to objects in the way, the fire brigade said.

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch is deploying a team of four inspectors to Italy to conduct a preliminary assessment.

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development office said it was "providing consular support to a number of British nationals and their families".

Sicilian prosecutors have also opened an investigation into the event. 

Who is missing?

Lawyer Chris Morvillo (left), entrepreneur Mike Lynch, and Morgan Stanley chairman Jonathan Bloomer are among the missing. 

There were 12 passengers and 10 crew members aboard the yacht. 

Mr Cocina said the crew and passengers hailed from a variety of countries, including Britain, the United States, Antigua, France, Germany, Ireland, Myanmar, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain.

Of the 22, one man is confirmed dead and another six people are still missing. 

They are believed to be inside the hull, fire rescue spokesperson Luca Cari said.

Fabio Cefalù, a fisherman who said he responded to a flare from the vessel but found it sunk, said he stayed at the site for three hours without finding anyone.

"I think they are inside, all the missing people," he said.

Rescue teams recovered the body of the yacht's onboard chef on Monday, identified as Antiguan citizen Ricardo Thomas.

The still missing people include: 

• Mr Lynch's 18-year-old daughter, Hannah 
• Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of global financial services company Morgan Stanley International
• Chris Morvillo , a lawyer at the British multinational law firm Clifford Chance. He worked on Mr Lynch's lawsuit against Hewlett-Packard
• The identities of the remaining two missing are still unconfirmed

Who was rescued? 

Fifteen people escaped from the sinking ship. 

Eight have been hospitalised and others were taken to a nearby hotel.

Charlotte Golunski was among those rescued, recalling the harrowing moments she held her child Sofia above the waves.  ( Supplied: Facebook  )

Among those rescued were:

• Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, who was the owner of the yacht
• Charlotte Golunski and her one-year-old daughter, Sofia. Ms Golunski is a partner at Mr Lynch's firm, Invoke Capital. She says she momentarily lost hold of Sofia in the water but managed to hold her up above the waves until the lifeboat was inflated
• Ms Golunski's husband James Emslie
• New Zealand captain of the yacht James Catfield. He told Italian newspaper La Repubblica the crew didn't see the storm coming
• A lone Dutch citizen was identified by the Dutch foreign ministry as being rescued, but was not identified

Who is Mike Lynch?

Mr Lynch, once hailed as Britain’s king of technology, was recently freed from a Silicon Valley lawsuit that tarnished his legacy. 

The 59-year-old Cambridge-educated mathematician created Autonomy , a search engine that could pore through emails and other internal business documents to help companies find vital information more quickly. 

He received the OBE for his innovation in 2006. 

He then sold the software to Hewlett-Packard (HP) for $US11 billion ($16 billion) in 2011, with Mr Lynch personally netting $US800 million. 

HP valued Autonomy at $US46 billion ($68 billion) in the months leading up to the deal.

Mike Lynch in 2019 leaving the High Court in London.  ( Reuters: Henry Nicholls/File Photo )

But the deal quickly turned sour after he was accused of forging the software's financial records to make the sale.

As part of a decades-long legal battle against HP, Mr Lynch was extradited to the UK on criminal fraud charges. 

He steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he was being made a scapegoat for HP's own bungling. 

He was eventually cleared of all charges in June this year. 

Although he avoided a possible prison sentence, Lynch still faced a bill from a civil case in London that HP mostly won during 2022. Damages haven't been determined in that case, but HP is seeking $US4 billion. 

Following the San Francisco trial, Mr Lynch said he would return to the UK and do what he loved most: "[being with] my family and innovating in my field."

The holiday appeared to be something of a celebration after Mr Lynch's acquittal, with guests including some of the people who had stood by Lynch throughout the ordeal.

This picture shows the rescue operations off the Sicilian coast.  ( AP: Italian Coast Guard  )

In a separate act of tragedy, Mr Lynch's co-defendant in the trial, Stephen Chamberlain, died on Monday, after a road accident left him critically injured.

Mr Chamberlain — Autonomy's former vice-president of finance alongside Mr Lynch — was hit by a car in Cambridgeshire on Saturday morning and had been placed on life support. 

What is the Bayesian?

The luxury yacht is 56m long sailboat, with a 75m mast labelled as the tallest aluminium mast in the world.

It was previously named Salute when it flew under a Dutch flag.

The yacht, built in 2008 by the Italian firm Perini Navi, can accommodate up to 12 guests in six suites and a crew of 10, according to online specialist yacht sites. It was last refitted in 2020.

Online charter sites listed it for rent for up to 195,000 euros (about $AU 321,000) a week. 

This picture taken on Sunday shows the Bayesian (left) and the Duch sailboat Sir Robert Baden Powell anchored off the coast line.   ( AP: Fabio La Bianca/Baia Santa Nicolicchia )

The ship also won a string of awards for its design. 

Ms Golunski said the yacht had travelled through the Aeolian Islands, Milazzo and Cefalù before sinking. 

It is likely the yacht's name would resonate with Mr Lynch because his PhD thesis and the software that made his fortune was based on Bayesian theory.

Who was on superyacht that sank off Sicily?

Twenty-two people were on board the Bayesian superyacht including British technology tycoon Mike Lynch, his wife and 18-year-old daughter, and Morgan Stanley International boss Jonathan Bloomer.

Friday 23 August 2024 12:34, UK

Details have emerged of the 22 people who were on board the superyacht that sank off the coast of Sicily.

The British-flagged vessel named Bayesian was carrying 12 passengers and 10 members of crew when it got into difficulty in the early hours of Monday.

Seven bodies have now been recovered. The other 15 people on board were rescued.

Here's what we know about those who were on the yacht.

Follow latest updates on the superyacht sinking

British technology tycoon Mike Lynch was among the original six people missing. On Thursday, divers confirmed his body had been recovered.

Raised in Ilford, east London by Irish parents, the 59-year-old made millions with the software company Autonomy he set up in 1996.

He had an estimated net worth of £852m, according to the 2023 Sunday Times Rich List, and is believed to have owned the yacht.

Off the back of Automomy's global success, Mr Lynch was given the roles of science adviser to former prime minister David Cameron and non-executive director of the BBC.

The Cambridge maths and sciences graduate sold the firm for £8.64bn to US giant Hewlett Packard (HP) in 2011.

Dubbed the "British Bill Gates", Mr Lynch has been in the headlines in recent months over a high-profile fraud case related to the sale of Autonomy to HP in 2011.

HP accused him of deliberately overstating the value of the company before it was acquired by the American technology firm. Mr Lynch denied any wrongdoing.

In June, a US jury cleared him of all charges .

Read more: Lynch's co-defendant dies days before yacht disaster

Hannah Lynch

Mr Lynch's 18-year-old daughter Hannah Lynch was also on board. A body believed to be that of the teenager was recovered on Friday from the yacht wreckage.

She had been on holiday with her parents, having secured a place to study English at the University of Oxford, according to reports.

Her former school, Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith, west London, said they were "incredibly shocked by the news that Hannah and her father are among those missing in this tragic accident" when the yacht first sank.

Angela Bacares

Mr Lynch's wife Angela Bacares was on board the yacht and was rescued.

The 57-year-old said she and Mr Lynch were awoken by the boat "tilting" at 4am - half an hour before it sank.

Jonathan Bloomer

Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of investment bank Morgan Stanley International, was confirmed dead on Thursday.

According to the Financial Times, Mr Bloomer appeared as a defence witness for Mr Lynch during his US criminal trial and the pair were good friends. He also chaired Autonomy's audit committee.

The 70-year-old was the chief executive of UK-Hong Kong insurer Prudential until he was ousted by the board in 2005.

He was also chairman of the insurance provider Hiscox.

Judy Bloomer

Mr Bloomer's wife Judy was on the yacht trip with her husband. Divers confirmed they found her body on Thursday.

Mrs Bloomer was a former board member at The Eve Appeal charity, which focuses on gynaecological cancers.

The charity described her as a "brilliant champion for women's health and medical research... an incredible supporter, committee member, and trustee of our charity for over 20 years".

Read more: 'Alarming' potential cause of superyacht disaster What we know about superyacht that sank

Recaldo Thomas

The yacht's on-board chef Recaldo Thomas died in the sinking.

He was Canadian-Antiguan and part of the crew of the Bayesian.

His body was the first to be recovered from the wreckage.

Chris Morvillo

US lawyer Chris Morvillo was among those divers found dead on Thursday.

The father-of-two worked on Mr Lynch's US fraud trial and was a partner of law firm Clifford Chance's US branch.

Mr Morvillo was assistant attorney for the Southern District of New York between 1995 and 2005 and worked on the terrorist investigation into the 9/11 attacks.

In a recent LinkedIn post, he thanked the legal team that helped win Mr Lynch's trial.

Signing off the post, he said: "And, finally, a huge thank you to my patient and incredible wife, Neda Morvillo, and my two strong, brilliant, and beautiful daughters, Sabrina Morvillo and Sophia Morvillo.

"None of this would have been possible without your love and support. I am so glad to be home. And they all lived happily ever after…."

Neda Morvillo

Mr Morvillo's wife Neda died in the disaster alongside her husband.

The 57-year-old had a luxury jewellery brand, which she ran under her maiden name Neda Nassiri.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Ayla Ronald

Ayla Ronald, a senior associate at Clifford Chance, survived the yacht disaster, the law firm confirmed.

The 36-year-old worked alongside Chris Morvillo in helping defend Mike Lynch in court.

Clifford Chance said in a statement: "Our utmost priority is providing support to the family as well as our colleague Ayla Ronald, who together with her partner, thankfully survived the incident."

She is originally from Christchurch, New Zealand, but lives in London, her father told local media there.

He said she was left "very shaken" but "she and her partner are alive".

Charlotte Golunski

Charlotte Golunski was on board the yacht and was rescued along with her one-year-old daughter, Sofia.

She spoke to Italian newspaper La Repubblica, confirming she survived the yacht sinking and told how she kept her daughter alive after she was rescued.

"I held her afloat with all my strength, my arms stretched upwards to keep her from drowning," she said.

"It was all dark. In the water I couldn't keep my eyes open. I screamed for help but all I could hear around me was the screams of others."

The 35-year-old is a partner at one of Mr Lynch's firms - Invoke Capital - and has worked there since 2012, according to her LinkedIn profile.

She also worked at Hewlett Packard, which acquired Autonomy in 2011, for 11 months.

Before that, she studied history at the University of Oxford.

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James Emsley

Ms Golunski's partner James Emsley was also rescued from the yacht, according to Sicily's civil protection agency.

The 36-year-old is the father of her one-year-old daughter.

James Cutfield

The 51-year-old captain of the yacht spoke to Italian newspaper La Repubblica after he was rescued.

Mr Cutfield, from New Zealand, was taken for treatment at the Termini Imerese emergency unit, where he told the newspaper: "We didn't see it coming."

Leah Randall

Leah Randall was part of the Bayesian crew and survived the sinking.

She was pictured going ashore in Porticello on Monday morning and is from South Africa.

Her mother Heidi told Sky News said she was "beyond relieved that my daughter's life was spared by the grace of God".

"It doesn't make it any easier living with the heartache of those who have lost their lives [or are] missing. My very deepest condolences to the chef's family as they formed a great friendship," she said.

Katja Chicken

Katja Chicken was another South African member of crew on board the Bayesian and was pictured being brought to safety in Porticello on Monday.

The Italian coastguard confirmed on Tuesday evening that Leo Eppel, a crew member, also survived the yacht sinking.

Related Topics

• Superyacht sinking

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Bayesian yacht sinking latest: Captain ‘insists he did everything he could’ to save passengers

Captain james cutfield, ship engineer tim parker eaton and sailor matthew griffith all under investigation for manslaughter, article bookmarked.

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The captain of the Bayesian has insisted that he did everything possible to save those on board the superyacht , according to local reports.

Sources close to James Cutfield, 51, told the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera that the 51-year-old New Zealander is currently living through the darkest days of his life as he is under investigation for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges.

They reportedly said Mr Cutfield repeatedly insists that he did not abandon any of the 22 passengers and crew and that he did everything could could to save them.

However, there reached a point when he could do little as the vessel had taken on too much water, they added.

Since Wednesday, Tim Parker Eaton, the engineer who was in charge of securing the yacht’s engine room, and sailor Matthew Griffith, who was on watch duty on the night of the disaster, are also under investigation for the same possible charges , their lawyer said on Friday.

British technology tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among the seven people who were killed after his superyacht capsized and went down on 19 August within minutes of being hit by a pre-dawn storm off the coast of Sicily .

Captain of Mike Lynch's yacht leaves Sicily on private jet

The captain of Mike Lynch’s yacht flew out of Palermo on Thursday, 10 days after the vessel sank off the coast of Sicily.

James Cutfield left the Sicilian capital on a private jet, an investigative source told Reuters, adding the destination of the flight was unknown.

Mr Cutfield, a New Zealander, lives with his wife in Palma on the Spanish island of Mallorca.

Mr Cutfield was put under investigation for manslaughter and shipwreck earlier this week and declined to answer questions from prosecutors on Tuesday.

Two other crew members were placed under investigation on Wednesday.

Who is being investigated?

Three people are being investigated by the Italian authorities for manslaughter after the sinking of the Bayesian yacht off the coast of Sicily.

On Monday, the boats 51-year-old captain James Cutfield, from New Zealand, was put under investigation. He declined to respond to prosecutors during questioning on Tuesday

Two British crew members are now also being investigated. Ship engineer Tim Parker Eaton and sailor Matthew Griffith are being investigated over the same crimes.

A source told Reuters that Parker Eaton is suspected of having failed to protect the yacht’s engine room and operating systems.

Being investigated does not imply guilt and does not mean formal charges will follow.

Bayesian captain ‘exercised right to silence’ in manslaughter probe questioning, lawyer says

The captain of the Bayesian yacht chose not to respond to prosecutors’ questions as he was spoken to for a third time on Tuesday, his lawyer has said.

James Cutfield, a 51-year-old New Zealand national, is under investigation for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges.

“The captain exercised his right to remain silent for two fundamental reasons,” lawyer Giovanni Rizzuti told reporters. “First, he’s very worn out. Second, we were appointed only on Monday and for a thorough and correct defence case we need to acquire a set of data that at the moment we don’t have.”

Being placed under investigation does not imply guilt or mean that charges will necessarily follow. Chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio has said his team would consider each possible element of responsibility including those of the captain, the crew, individuals in charge of supervision and the yacht’s manufacturer.

The Times  reported one of Mr Cutfield’s lawyers as saying that the captain is “understandably very shaken up” after the ordeal last Monday.

Watch: Moment Bayesian yacht engulfed by storm

Why was mike lynch’s yacht named the bayesian.

Autonomy, the software firm which Mike Lynch sold in a £8.64bn deal in 2011, was a pioneer of business data analysis, using machine learning and what Mr Lynch called “adaptive pattern recognition”.

It used a statistical method called “Bayesian inference” at the heart of its software, devised by the 18th-century mathematician Thomas Bayes.

The yacht’s name,  Bayesian , harks to the same model that was at the heart of Autonomy’s – and Mr Lynch’s – success.

Blackbox sheds light on tragic final minutes of billionaire’s superyacht trip

Mike Lynch had gathered his nearest and dearest to toast walking away a free man from a HP fraud trial

Timeline of the Bayesian luxury yacht disaster: Monday 19 August - Wednesday 21 August

Monday 19 August

• The  Bayesian  yacht, flying a British flag, sinks at around 5am local time when the area was hit by a tornado.
• Fifteen people are rescued from the 55m (180ft) vessel – including a mother and baby – but another seven remain missing.
• A body, believed to be that of a chef on the boat, is later found near the wreckage

Tuesday 20 August

• The search continues for the six tourists missing.
• It is reported that among those missing are Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer; his wife, Judy Bloomer; Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo; and his wife, Neda Morvillo.
• Police divers try to reach the hull of the ship, resting at a depth of 50 metres.
• Italy’s fire brigade Vigili del Fuoco say early inspections of the wreck were “unsuccessful” because of limited access to the bridge and furniture obstructing passages.
• It is confirmed that the body recovered at the scene of the sinking on Monday was that of Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the yacht.

Wednesday 21 August

• The search for the six people unaccounted for enters a third day, with crews carrying out inspections of the yacht’s internal hull.
• A team of four British inspectors from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) arrive in Porticello to look at the site of the sinking.
• A helicopter is drafted in to help with the search effort and remotely controlled underwater vehicles are being used, with naval units and cave divers also taking part in the search.
• Five bodies are found inside the yacht on Wednesday afternoon. Only four of them are brought to shore.

Italian prosecutors widen probe into superyacht that sank off Sicily to 2 more crew members

Italian prosecutors have put under investigation two more crew members of the Bayesian, the superyacht that sank off Sicily last week, killing seven people, their lawyer said

Mike Lynch net worth: How the billionaire made his money

Mike Lynch was frequently described as the Bill Gates of Britain for founding Autonomy – one of the biggest software firms on the planet

Friend pays tribute to Bayesian chef Recaldo Thomas

Recaldo Thomas was the superyacht’s chef and the first person whose death was confirmed.

The Canadian-Antiguan national was found by the Italian coastguard near the sunken boat. A friend of Mr Thomas, who asked to remain anonymous, said the yachting community has been saddened by his death.

She told  The Independent:  “He was a one-of-a-kind special human being. Incredibly talented, contagious smile and laugh, an incredible voice with a deep love of the ocean and the moon. I spoke to him nearly every day. He loved his life his friends and his job.”

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Video shows moments before superyacht went down in storm off Sicily

Newly released video captures a luxury superyacht being battered by a violent storm before it suddenly sank off Sicily with 22 people aboard Monday.

The grainy images obtained by NBC News and other outlets were recorded on closed-circuit television not far from where the Bayesian was anchored, about a half-mile from the port of Porticello, on Sicily’s northern coast .

The yacht's 250-foot mast, illuminated with lights and lashed by the storm, appears to bend to one side before it finally disappears and is replaced by darkness.

The speed with which a yacht built to handle the roughest seas capsized stunned maritime experts.  

“I can’t remember the last time I read about a vessel going down quickly like that, you know, completely capsizing and going down that quickly, a vessel of that nature, a yacht of that size,” said Stephen Richter of SAR Marine Consulting.

British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and five of the 22 other people who were aboard the 184-foot vessel remain unaccounted for and are believed to be trapped in the Bayesian’s hull, nearly 170 feet underwater.

Officials confirmed Monday that at least one person, the ship’s cook, had died.  

Superyachts like the Bayesian, which had been available for charters at a rate of $215,000 a week, are designed to stay afloat even as they are taking on water to give the people aboard a chance to escape, Richter said. 

“Boats of this size, they’re taking passengers on an excursion or a holiday,” Richter said. “They are not going to put them in situations where it may be dangerous or it may be uncomfortable, so this storm that popped up was obviously an anomaly. These vessels that carry passengers, they’re typically very well-maintained, very well-appointed.”

Built by Italian shipbuilder Perini Navi in 2008, the U.K.-registered Bayesian could carry 12 guests and a crew of up to 10, according to online specialist yacht sites. Its nearly 250-foot mast is the tallest aluminum sailing mast in the world, according to CharterWorld Luxury Yacht Charters. 

On Tuesday, Italian rescue workers resumed the search for Lynch and the five other passengers still missing: Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah; Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife; and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife.

“The fear is that the bodies got trapped inside the vessel,” Salvatore Cocina, the head of civil protection in Sicily, told Reuters .

The Bayesian is owned by a firm linked to Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, who was one of the 15 people rescued Monday after it capsized.

“It’s extremely rare for a boat of this size to sink,” Richter said.

What’s not rare is the kind of storm that sank it , said Simon Boxall, senior lecturer in oceanography at Britain’s University of Southampton.

“People assume the Mediterranean is this rather calm and passive place that never gets storms and always blue skies,” Boxall said. “In fact, you get some quite horrendous storms that are not uncommon at this time of year.”

The president of Italy’s meteorological society has said Monday’s violent storm may have involved a waterspout, essentially a tornado over water, or a downburst, which occurs more frequently but doesn’t involve the rotation of the air.

Luca Mercalli, president of the Italian Meteorology Society, also said recent temperatures may have been a factor. 

“The sea surface temperature around Sicily was around 30 degrees Celsius [86 Fahrenheit], which is almost 3 degrees more than normal,” Mercalli told Reuters. “This creates an enormous source of energy that contributes to these storms.”

The Mediterranean sailing vacation was designed to be a celebration for Lynch, who two months ago was acquitted by a San Francisco jury of fraud charges stemming from the 2011 sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion.

Prosecutors alleged that Lynch, dubbed “Britain’s Bill Gates,” and Autonomy’s vice president for finance, Stephen Chamberlain, had padded the firm’s finances ahead of the sale. Lynch’s lawyers argued that HP was so eager to acquire Autonomy that it failed to adequately check the books .

Lynch had taken Morvill, who was one of his defense attorneys, on the luxury trip. 

Chamberlain was not on the Bayesian.

In what appears to be a tragic coincidence, a car struck and killed Chamberlain on Saturday as he was jogging in a village about 68 miles north of London, local police said.

“Steve fought successfully to clear his good name at trial earlier this year, and his good name now lives on through his wonderful family,” Chamberlain’s lawyer, Gary Lincenberg, said in a statement .

Henry Austin reported from London and Corky Siemaszko from New York City.

Henry Austin is a senior editor for NBC News Digital based in London.

Corky Siemaszko is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital.

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Who Owns ST David Yacht?

David Beran, the founder of the Profireal Group, owns the ST David Yacht. Beran is a Czech millionaire who enjoys this luxurious 60-meter vessel. Benetti manufactured the ST David Yacht with plentiful amenities, allowing David Beran and his wife, Terezia Dobrovolna, to enjoy the high seas. Today's article will discuss the owner of ST David Yacht. I will also focus on the yacht's specs, features, and amenities.

David Beran is the Current Owner of ST David Yacht

David Beran, a prominent Czech millionaire and founder of the Profireal Group , is the proud owner of the luxurious ST David Yacht. This 60-meter vessel, crafted by the renowned Italian shipyard Benetti, epitomizes luxury and sophistication.

Beran and his wife, Terezia Dobrovolna, enjoy the yacht’s lavish amenities and state-of-the-art features. The ST David Yacht, originally named Xanadu, was owned by Andrey Chernyakov before Beran acquired it.

It has 17 knots maximum speed and 12 knots cruising speed. ST David Yacht has a 3,500 nautical miles range, making it an ideal vessel for long voyages. The interior and exterior, designed by Winch Design, include a sky lounge, a spa pool, a spiral staircase, and water toys. Beran’s ownership of the ST David Yacht highlights his taste for luxury and adventure on the high seas.

ST David Yacht Specs

Here are the specifications of the ST David Yacht, a luxury vessel owned by David Beran.

ST David Yacht Amenities

The ST David Yacht, owned by David Beran, is a floating paradise with luxurious amenities. Designed by Winch Design, the yacht features a stunning sky lounge, perfect for hosting corporate events or celebrating the New Year in style.

The spiral staircase is a centerpiece, connecting the elegant interiors. Guests can enjoy and relax in the spa pool. David’s guests also relish water toys, including Waverunners and an electric foil surfboard.

For those wondering How fast does a yacht go , the ST David can reach a maximum speed of 17 knots, making it ideal for swift and comfortable voyages. The yacht also boasts a fully equipped gym, a dance floor, and a jacuzzi, ensuring entertainment and relaxation for all on board.

The ST David Yacht accommodates 12 guests. The yacht has a dedicated crew of 14. Moreover, the ST David Yacht offers an unparalleled experience on the high seas, reflecting Beran’s taste for luxury and adventure.

ST David Yacht Vs Other Yachts

History of ST David Yacht

The renowned Italian shipyard Benetti constructed the ST David Yacht, originally named Xanadu, in 2008. Designed by Winch Design, the yacht was initially commissioned by Sir Stanley Thomas. It later changed hands to Andrey Chernyakov before being acquired by its current owner, David Beran.

The yacht has been a finalist at the World Superyacht Awards and has undergone significant refurbishments, including a major refit in 2019 to enhance its contemporary appeal. Known for its luxurious amenities and advanced engineering, the ST David Yacht is a prime example of excellence in yacht travel around the world . Its impressive range of over 3,500 nautical miles makes it ideal for long-distance cruising and exploring exotic locations.

Interior Design and Layout

The ST David Yacht features an elegant and functional layout. It has 6 extravagant cabins that can accommodate 12 guests. The yacht also has a master suite, a VIP stateroom, and four guest cabins. The main deck has the master suite. It offers panoramic views and direct access to a private deck area. The VIP stateroom and guest cabins are situated on the lower deck, each with en-suite facilities.

Common areas include a spacious main salon with plush seating and a formal dining area. The sky lounge is on the yacht’s upper deck. It provides a relaxed setting with a bar and entertainment system. Unique design elements include intricate mosaic floors, sculptured tables, and a magnificent spiral staircase that connects all decks. The yacht also has a gym, a spa pool, and a dance floor, making it an ideal explorer yacht for adventurous voyages.

ST David Yacht Technological Feature

The ST David Yacht has advanced technological features to enhance the onboard experience. It includes state-of-the-art navigation systems for precise and safe yacht travel worldwide. The yacht boasts a modern stabilization system to reduce roll motion, ensuring comfort even in rough seas.

At-anchor stabilizers maintain stability when the yacht is stationary. The entertainment setup includes high-definition screens, a premium sound system, and Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the vessel.

Eco-friendly technologies, such as efficient fuel management systems and waste treatment facilities, minimize the yacht’s environmental impact. These features make the ST David Yacht a blend of luxury and cutting-edge technology.

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Mike Lynch's estate sued for £3 billion as tech giant seeks 'conclusion' after yacht tragedy

Hewlett Packard has confirmed that it will continue to pursue Mike Lynch's estate for around £3 billion in damages, following the Bayesian yacht tragedy that claimed seven lives

• 02:54, 3 Sep 2024

Just over a fortnight after billionaire Mike Lynch was found dead in the Bayesian superyacht tragedy, US technology giant Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has confirmed that it will continue its £3 billion legal claim against the tycoon. The body of the billionaire British tech mogul was recovered just over a fortnight ago, following the disaster which claimed the lives of seven people.

59-year-old Lynch was celebrating his victory against the tech giant in the US criminal courts aboard his £30 million superyacht 'Bayesian', when tragedy struck off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of August 19. The exact cause of the 184ft yacht's capsizing remains a matter of investigation, but freak weather conditions are thought to have played a role.

But despite the celebration, the embattled mogul still faced a civil case in the UK High Court over fraud allegations relating to the £8.3 billion sale of his company, Autonomy, in 2011. The US tech firm HPE has said it intends to continue its civil claim against the deceased tycoon's estate and "follow the proceedings through to their conclusion."

This could mean the company holding Lynch's widow Angela Bacares, who survived the yacht tragedy, liable for the £3 billion in damages. However, the Independent reports that judges have already ruled any damages will be "substantially less" than this eye-watering sum.

The legal battle between Mike Lynch and Hewlett Packard has been ongoing for much of the past decade, with the tech giant claiming to have been oversold on the value of Autonomy when they purchased it for over £8 billion. This escalated in 2021, when Lynch lost a fight against extradition to the United States for criminal fraud charges.

And yet, in a surprising victory in June this year, Lynch beat the potential 20-year prison sentence and was found not guilty on all charges by a California jury. But despite beating decades in a US prison, an expensive civil trial in the UK High Court still hung over him.

HPE said in a statement: “In 2022, an English High Court judge ruled that HPE had substantially succeeded in its civil fraud claims against Dr Lynch and Mr Hussain.

“A damages hearing was held in February 2024 and the judge’s decision regarding damages due to HPE will arrive in due course. It is HPE’s intention to follow the proceedings through to their conclusion.”

The Bayesian yacht tragedy also claimed the lives of Lynch's 18-year-old daughter Hannah, Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer and wife Judy, Lynch's lawyer Chris Morvillo and wife Neda, and the yacht's chef Recaldo Thomas. The first post-mortems on Chris and Neda Morvillo found the cause of death to be drowning, AP reports.

15 of those aboard managed to escape the rapidly sinking yacht, including crewmate Matthew Griffiths, who recounted this week: "I woke up the captain when the wind was at 20 knots (23 mph). He gave orders to wake everyone else. The ship tilted and we were thrown into the water.

"Then we managed to get back up and tried to rescue those we could."

MORE ON Mike Lynch Billionaires High Court Hewlett Packard Company

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Satellite video shows final minutes of the Bayesian superyacht as it is dramatically blown by storm and disappears from radar

T he frightening final minutes of the doomed Bayesian yacht have been revealed in a new video, showing it being hit by a sudden storm then disappearing entirely from radar as it sank.

Satellite imaging video obtained by The Post from the early morning of August 19 shows the moments the $40m superyacht – which had 22 people aboard, seven of whom drowned in the tragedy – is dramatically blown off course by a freak storm off the coast of Porticello in Sicily, Italy.

The yacht is seen blown in a roughly South Eastern direction between 1:56am to 2:09am UTC, the equivalent of 3:56am to 4:09am in the local time. One other vessel, the Sir Robert Baden Powell, is in the same area and also gets flung across the sea.

The 185-foot Bayesian is spun anti-clockwise by more than 180 degrees from its starting point and moves around 300 meters (985 feet). The boat then stays in place as it sank, with its radar signal ominously disappearing at 3:09am UTC, or 5:09am local time, the video from Marinetraffic.com shows.

Describing the scene to Italian authorities, sailor Matthew Griffiths, who was on watch at the time of the sinking, said he “woke the captain up when the wind was blowing at 20 knots [and] he ordered to wake everyone else up,” according to Italian news service ANSA .

Griffiths also told investigators the ship “tilted and we fell into the water … We were then able to climb back on and we tried to rescue those we could.

“[The] boat was tilted and we were walking on the walls. We rescued those we could,” ANSA reported Griffiths saying.

A life raft was launched which carried 15 survivors from the yacht, nine members of staff and six guests, including a one-year-old baby. It was met by a smaller boat sent from the Sir Robert Baden Powell to aid in the rescue.

The Bayesian’s owner, British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, was trapped in a cabin as the ship rapidly sank and died. His daughter, Hannah, 18, also died in the accident, as well as five others: New York City lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda; Morgan Stanley Bank International chair Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy; and the ship’s chef, Recaldo Thomas.

The exact cause of the sinking is not yet known and still under investigation by authorities. It has been suggested that a tornado-like waterspout, known as a “black swan” weather event, could have hit the vessel during the storm, giving the staff little time to react.

Others have suggested windows, portholes or other openings may have been broken or smashed open by the powerful waterspout, causing the yacht to sink so rapidly.

Officials are also looking into whether a downburst could have hit the yacht. Downbursts are a different type of weather event caused by powerful winds being projected downwards from a storm, which can be highly destructive, according to the BBC .

Three of the ship’s crew — Griffiths, ship engineer Tim Parker Eaton and captain James Cutfield — are currently under investigation over the wreck as authorities try and piece together what caused the ship to sink so rapidly.

However, Italian authorities have made clear being part of the investigation does not imply wrongdoing and is a required procedural step.

Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, survived the ordeal but has yet to speak publicly about the ordeal.

The Captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell has also given his version of events at the time of the sinking, saying he noticed the weather deteriorating at 3am.

“When things calmed down and the storm abated somewhat … we were looking around and couldn’t see the Bayesian anymore,” captain Karsten Borner told People magazine.  

“Two passengers and two crew members saw what looked like a whale in the water and realized afterwards it was the capsized boat.

“A moment later, I saw a triangle in the sea in a split second that the sky was lit up by lightning, and that must have been the bow of the ship while sinking over the stern.”

Borner and his first mate then took the smaller boat in an attempt to help survivors.

“We first found things floating in the water like cushions and chairs and stuff. And then we saw a flickering light. This was a life raft with a light on the top. And they also waved at us with a torch.”

“So we went there, and then we found the crew and part of the passengers,” he added.

A salvage mission to raise the Bayesian from the sea bed and bring it to port in Sicily so it can be examined to find out more about its sinking is currently underway.

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Superyacht sinks: Cause of death revealed for NYC lawyer and wife

Chris morvillo and wife neda are 1st autopsies completed following sinking of bayesian off sicily.

Yacht captain under investigation for manslaughter

Maritime lawyer Alex Perez joins 'Fox & Friends' to discuss the details of the case after a storm reportedly caused the superyacht to sink, killing seven on board.

A New York City lawyer and his wife, who were among the seven who died in the sinking of the Bayesian superyacht last month off the coast of Sicily, passed away as a result of drowning, autopsies have revealed. 

The causes of death for Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda were confirmed by coroners in Italy, as autopsies are planned Wednesday on the bodies of Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley’s London-based investment banking subsidiary, and his wife, Judy, according to The Associated Press. 

The Bayesian had 22 people on board – 12 passengers and 10 crew – when it capsized and sank within minutes of being hit by a predawn storm on Aug. 19. Civil protection officials said they believe the ship was struck by a tornado over the water, known as a waterspout, near the port of Porticello, where the yacht was anchored.  

Autopsies are pending for British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch – who had organized the yacht trip to celebrate a recent legal victory – as well as his 18-year-old daughter Hannah and the yacht’s cook, Recaldo Thomas. 

LUXURY YACHT CAPTAIN FACES MANSLAUGHTER INVESTIGATION AFTER DEATHS OF BRITISH TECH MOGUL, 6 OTHERS  

The Bayesian yacht seen in Gibraltar in 2021. (@dannywheelz/TMX)

Morvillo was one of Lynch’s U.S. lawyers in a fraud case involving the 2011 sale of search engine company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard in an $11 billion deal that turned sour over allegations that Lynch had cooked the books to overvalue Autonomy, the AP reported. He was acquitted in June. 

YACHT MAKER SAYS ‘INDESCRIBABLE’ CREW ERRORS LED TO FATAL SICILY SHIPWRECK

Neda Morvillo and Chris Morvillo are seen in New York City in 2018. Autopsies say the couple drowned after the Bayesian superyacht sank off the coast of southern Italy last month. (Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

Prosecutors also reportedly are investigating the captain and two crew members for possible responsibility in connection with the sinking . Fifteen people, including Lynch's wife, were rescued from the 184-foot British-flagged luxury yacht. 

The CEO of a manufacturing company responsible for building the yacht has blamed a series of "indescribable, unreasonable errors" by the crew for the vessel’s demise. 

Italian firefighter divers work at the site where the Bayesian sank in Porticello, Sicily, southern Italy, on Aug. 22. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)

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Giovanni Costantino told Reuters that the yacht’s crew made an "incredible mistake" of not being ready for the storm, which was included in shipping forecasts. The passengers should have been called out of their cabins and ordered to assemble at a safety point as the ship was preparing for the storm by taking measures such as pulling up the anchor, the CEO said. 

Fox News’ Michael Dorgan, Greg Wehner and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.

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Husband and Wife Drowned Together as Yacht Sank in Sicily, Autopsy Finds

Seven people died after the luxury yacht Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily, on Monday, Aug. 19

Gabrielle Rockson is a staff writer-reporter for PEOPLE. She joined PEOPLE in 2023 and covers entertainment and human interest stories. She's interviewed David Beckham, Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet and many others. Her previous work can be found in OK! Magazine, MyLondon, GRM Daily, and more.

Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan via Getty 

The cause of death of two of the victims on the yacht that sank in Sicily has been determined.

British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his daughter, Hannah Lynch, Christopher Morvillo and his wife, Neda , Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy , and yacht chef Recaldo Thomas have been identified as the seven people who died after the luxury yacht Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily on Monday, Aug. 19.

On Monday, Sept. 2, Italian news agency ANSA announced the autopsies of Christopher and his wife Neda ruled their cause of death as drowning.

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According to the outlet, the initial results — which were done by Professor Antonella Argo of the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Palermo Policlinico — showed there were no signs of trauma. 

The couple are reported to have died from suffocation due to drowning. While additional laboratory tests have been carried out to confirm the cause of death, there are currently no other causes.

ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty

The autopsies for Jonathan and his wife Judy are set to be carried out on Wednesday. However, the autopsies for Mike and his daughter Hannah, as well as Thomas', haven’t been assigned as of yet. 

The Italian Coast Guard previously told PEOPLE in a statement that the 183-foot British-flagged vessel sank during a "violent storm."

Guests were on the yacht celebrating Mike's acquittal on all counts of a series of fraud and conspiracy charges he faced in the U.S. after a legal battle that dated back to 2018.

His wife, Angela Bacares, was also present on the yacht, but she was rescued along with 14 others on board.

ALESSANDRO FUCARINI/AFP via Getty

Meanwhile, Christopher represented Mike in the case, while Jonathan, 70, was a close friend of Mike's.

Speaking at a press conference on Aug. 24, Girolamo Bentivoglio Fiandra, head of the Palermo Fire Brigade, said, "It was quite clear that people were trying to hide in the cabins."

“In the left-hand side, we found the first 5 bodies in the left-hand side cabins, and the final body on the right-hand side,” Fiandra said. “We found them on the highest part of the ship, which was closer to the surface. The vessel had three cabins on each side.”

The five victims, who "took refuge" on the luxury yacht’s left side, had been "searching for air pockets" in a final attempt at survival," he added.

Ambrogio Cartosio, the chief prosecutor of Termini Imerese, also announced on Aug. 24 that a manslaughter investigation had been launched, "hypothesizing the crimes of negligent shipwreck."

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Inside the Shocking Sicily Yacht Tragedy: 7 People Dead After Rare Luxury Boat Disaster

There was a violent storm, but even then, luxury yachts are built to weather such events. so why did this boat sink off the coast of sicily, leaving seven people dead.

Nobody was trying to reach the lowest depths of the ocean or otherwise test the boundaries of human endurance .

But what was supposed to be a routine pleasure cruise aboard a superyacht turned deadly all the same on the morning of Aug. 19 when the 184-foot Bayesian got caught in a storm and sank off the coast of Sicily .

"I can't remember the last time I read about a vessel going down quickly like that," Stephen Richter  of SAR Marine Consulting told NBC News . "You know, completely capsizing and going down that quickly, a vessel of that nature, a yacht of that size."

Of the 22 people onboard, including crew, seven people died. The last of the bodies was recovered Aug. 23, an expectedly sad coda to what had already been a tragic week as the search for answers as to how this happened got underway.

And to be sure, every minute of the Bayesian's ill-fated outing is being fiercely scrutinized, starting with the general seaworthiness of the vessel itself.

Because, frankly, this was a freak occurrence.

"Boats of this size, they’re taking passengers on an excursion or a holiday," Richter explained. "They are not going to put them in situations where it may be dangerous or it may be uncomfortable, so this storm that popped up was obviously an anomaly. These vessels that carry passengers, they’re typically very well-maintained, very well-appointed."

But in this case, a $40 million yacht sank, seven people are dead—including a billionaire tech mogul and his 18-year-old daughter—and morbid fascination doesn't need a second wind.

Here is how the story of the Sicily yacht tragedy has unfolded so far:

What happened to the yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily?

The Bayesian had set off from the Sicilian port of Milazzo on Aug. 14 at capacity with 12 guests and 10 crewmembers aboard.

The aluminum-hulled vessel was built in 2008 by Italian shipbuilder Perini Navi and registered in the U.K. Cruise sites listed it as available for charter at $215,000 per week, per the Associated Press.

On the morning of Aug. 19, the superyacht was anchored off the coast of Porticello, a small fishing village in the Sicilian province of Palermo (also the name of Sicily's capital city), when a violent storm hit.

The vessel "suddenly sank" at around 5 a.m. local time, seemingly due to "the terrible weather conditions," the City Council of Bagheria announced shortly afterward, per NBC News .

At the time, only one person was confirmed dead—the ship's chef—but six others were said to be missing. The 15 survivors—who managed to make it onto an inflatable life boat, according to emergency officials—were rescued that morning by the crew of another yacht that had been nearby when the storm hit.

"Fifteen people inside," Karsten Borner , the Dutch captain of the ship that was able to help (the Sir Robert Baden Powell), told reporters afterward, per Reuters. "Four people were injured, three heavily injured, and we brought them to our ship. Then we communicated with the coast guard, and after some time, the coast guard came and later picked up injured people."

When the storm hit, his boat ran into "a strong hurricane gust," Borner said, "and we had to start the engine to keep the ship in an angled position."

They "managed to keep the ship in position," he continued, but once the storm died down, they realized the other boat that had been behind them—the Bayesian—was gone.

The wreck ended up settling 165 feet below the surface, according to Italy's national fire department.

Fire officials said that divers, a motorboat and a helicopter were deployed to search for the missing.

Meanwhile, footage was captured of the ship capsizing on closed-circuit TV about a half-mile away from where it was anchored.

In the video obtained by NBC News, the illuminated 250-foot aluminum mast of the ship appears to list severely to one side before disappearing completely. Survivors recalled having just a few minutes to literally abandon ship.

"They told me that suddenly they found themselves catapulted into the water without even understanding how they had got there," Dr. Fabio Genco , head of the Palermo Emergency Medical Services, told NBC News Aug. 22. "And that the whole thing seems to have lasted from 3 to 5 minutes."

Genco said he got to Porticello about an hour after the Bayesian capsized.

Survivors "told me that it was all dark, that the yacht hoisted itself up and then went down," he said. "All the objects were falling on them. That’s why I immediately made sure, by asking them questions, if they had any internal injuries."

Why did the yacht sink?

Italian prosecutors are investigating to determine what transpired before the boat went down, according to NBC News.

Meanwhile, the CEO of shipbuilder Perini's parent company The Italian Sea Group defended the vessel itself as "unsinkable."

Perini boats "are the safest in the most absolute sense," Giovanni Costantino told Sky News Aug. 22 . What happened to the Bayesian "put me in a state of sadness on one side and of disbelief on the other," he continued. "This incident sounds like an unbelievable story, both technically and as a fact."

Costantino said it had to have been human error that led to the boat sinking, declaring, "Mistakes were made."

"Everything that was done reveals a very long summation of errors," he told newspaper Corriere della Sera  Aug. 21, in an interview translated from Italian. "The people should not have been in the cabins, the boat should not have been at anchor."

The weather was "all predictable," he continued, adding that the storm "was fully legible in all the weather charts. It couldn't have been ignored."

The yacht's captain, identified as James Cutfield of New Zealand, was taken to Termini Imerese hospital for treatment. From there, he told  La Repubblica , per Sky News , that he didn't see the storm coming.

Borner, the captain of the ship that rescued the 15 Bayesian survivors, told NBC News that he noticed the storm come in at 4 a.m. local time, and saw what looked to him like a waterspout, a type of tornado that forms above water.

The International Centre for Waterspout Research posted on X Aug. 19 that it had "confirmed 18 waterspouts today off the coasts of Italy. Some were powerful waterspouts, one of which may have been responsible for the sinking of a large yacht off of Sicily."

Borner said he didn't know why the Bayesian sank so quickly, guessing "it may have something to do with the mast, which was incredibly long." (A tall mast, even with its sails down, means there's more surface area exposed to wind, which can result in tipping.) 

Confirming that one person was dead and six unaccounted for immediately following the wreck on Aug. 19, Salvo Cocina of Sicily's civil protection agency told reporters that a waterspout had struck the area overnight.

"They were in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said.

Who were the seven people who died when the yacht Bayesian sank?

The tragedy initially became headline news because billionaire tech mogul Mike Lynch —"Britain's Bill Gates ," some U.K. media called him—was among the missing. His body was ultimately recovered Aug. 22 .

The 59-year-old founder of software firm Autonomy had been on the trip with his wife Angela Bacares and their 18-year-old, Oxford-bound daughter Hannah  to celebrate his recent acquittal in the U.S. on fraud and conspiracy charges stemming from the $11.7 billion purchase of his company by Hewlett-Packard in 2011.

In a bizarre turn of events, Lynch's co-defendant at trial, Stephen Chamberlain , the former vice president of finance at Autonomy, died after being taken off life support following a road accident on Aug. 17. Chamberlain's attorney told Reuters Aug. 20 that his friend and client had been out for a run when he was "fatally struck" by a car.

Meanwhile, multiple people who contributed to Lynch's defense were on the cruise with him and his family.

The bodies of Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer —who testified on Lynch's behalf—and his wife Judy Bloomer , as well as lawyer Chris Morvillo , a partner at the U.S. firm Clifford Chance, and his wife Neda Morvillo , a jewelry designer, were recovered on Aug. 21 .

In a LinkedIn post thanking the team that successfully defended Lynch, Morvillo wrote, per Sky News , "And, finally, a huge thank you to my patient and incredible wife, Neda Morvillo, and my two strong, brilliant, and beautiful daughters, Sabrina Morvillo and Sophia Morvillo . None of this would have been possible without your love and support. I am so glad to be home. And they all lived happily ever after…"

The first casualty confirmed Aug. 19 was the ship's Canadian-Antiguan chef, later identified as Recaldo Thomas . 

"He was a one-of-a-kind special human being," a friend of Thomas told The Independent . "Incredibly talented, contagious smile and laugh, an incredible voice with a deep love of the ocean and the moon. I spoke to him nearly every day. He loved his life his friends and his job."

Hannah's body was the last of the missing six to be found , with divers bringing her remains ashore on Aug. 23.

Lynch and Bacares, who was rescued, also shared a 21-year-old daughter, according to The Times.

While awaiting trial, Lynch—who maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings—had spent 13 months under house arrest in San Francisco. Back home in London afterward, he admitted to The Times in July that he'd been afraid of dying in prison if he'd been found guilty. (He faced a possible 25-year sentence.)

"It's bizarre, but now you have a second life," he reflected. "The question is, what do you want to do with it?"

(E!, NBC News and Sky News are all members of the Comcast family.)

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Hewlett Packard to pursue Mike Lynch’s estate in £3 billion damages claim

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has confirmed it plans to continue with its claim for up to £3 billion in damages against the estate of tech tycoon Mike Lynch after his death in last month’s superyacht disaster.

The US tech giant won a UK High Court civil claim against Mr Lynch in 2022, accusing him and his former finance director, Sushovan Hussain, of fraud over its 11 billion dollar (£8.37 billion) takeover of his software company Autonomy in 2011.

US firm HPE is seeking damages of up to 4 billion US dollars (£3 billion), with the judge set to rule on the final sum soon.

Mr Lynch, who was cleared in a separate criminal fraud trial over the Autonomy case in the US in June, and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among seven people who died after the Bayesian superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily last month.

His death means his widow, Angela Bacares, could now be liable for the damages claim in London.

HPE said: “In 2022, an English High Court judge ruled that HPE had substantially succeeded in its civil fraud claims against Dr Lynch and Mr Hussain.

“A damages hearing was held in February 2024 and the judge’s decision regarding damages due to HPE will arrive in due course.

“It is HPE’s intention to follow the proceedings through to their conclusion.”

The judge in the UK civil case has already ruled the amount payable in damages would be “substantially less” than HPE had sought, which raised questions over HPE’s reasoning for pursuing the claim after the superyacht tragedy.

The Bayesian, a 56-metre British-flagged luxury yacht, went down near Sicily, in the Mediterranean on August 19.

It is thought that the yacht may have been struck by a “downburst” – a localised, powerful wind that descends from a thunderstorm and spreads out rapidly on hitting the ground.

All crew members survived except for the chef, but six passengers were trapped in the yacht’s hull and died.

Ms Bacares was among those who survived the disaster.

Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, were also among those who died in the tragedy.

A post-mortem examination carried out by coroners in Palermo, revealed the cause of death of Mr Morvillo and his wife Neda was drowning, the Associated Press reported.

Further post-mortems are planned Wednesday on the bodies of Jonathan Bloomer, and his wife, Judy.

They are pending for the remaining three victims, Mr Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah and the yacht’s cook, Recaldo Thomas.

Of the 22 passengers and crew on board, 15 were rescued after escaping onto a lifeboat.

The boat trip was a celebration of Mr Lynch’s acquittal in the fraud case.

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Bayesian, l'ultimo tentativo della moglie di Mike Lynch. «Durante il naufragio non voleva lasciare lo yacht senza marito e figli»

La testimonianza di karsten borner, capitano della sir robert baden powell che per primo ha prestato soccorso.

Angela Bacares, la moglie di Mike Lynch , non voleva lasciare la scena del naufragio del Bayesian senza la sua famiglia. Lo ha dichiarato il capitano dell'imbarcazione che per prima ha prestato soccorso allo yach affondato di fronte al porto di Porticello (Palermo), in Sicilia. Karsten Borner, capitano della Sir Robert Baden Powell, ha dichiarato a People che la donna «non voleva andarsene perché suo marito e sua figlia erano ancora a bordo».

Bayesian, l'ingegnere navale Bill Prince: «Ecco perché lo yacht non doveva affondare così». Cosa indica la posizione dei corpi

        Visualizza questo post su Instagram                       Un post condiviso da Il Messaggero (@ilmessaggero.it)

Il magnate della tecnologia britannico Lynch e una delle figlie avute con la signora Bacares, la diciottenne Hannah, sono tra le sette persone rimaste uccise dopo che il superyacht si è capovolto ed è affondato il 19 agosto, pochi minuti dopo essere stato colpito da una tempesta prima dell'alba. Le dichiarazioni del capitano giungono mentre tre membri dell'equipaggio della nave battente bandiera britannica - il capitano James Cutfield, l'ingegnere navale Tim Parker Eaton e il marinaio Matthew Griffith - sono ora tutti sotto inchiesta per omicidio colposo e naufragio. Il capitano Cutfield, neozelandese di 51 anni, durante l'interrogatorio di fronte al pm si è avvalso della facoltà di non rispondere. Parlando della tempesta, in precedenza aveva dichiarato di «non averla vista arrivare». Nella tragedia hanno perso la vita anche lo chef Recaldo Thomas, il presidente della Morgan Stanley Jonathan Bloomer, sua moglie Judith Bloomer, l'avvocato di Clifford Chance Christopher Morvillo e sua moglie Neda Morvillo. 

Le accuse e le autopsie

Sotto accusa, per il naufragio del Bayesian e l'omicidio colposo del magnate inglese Mike Lynch, della figlia 18enne Hannah, dell'avvocato Chris Morvillo e della moglie Nada, del banchiere Jonathan Bloomer e della moglie Judith e del cuoco di bordo Recaldo Thomas, unico deceduto dell'equipaggio, sono finiti il comandante del veliero James Cutfield, volato a Maiorca dopo aver recuperato copia del passaporto, l'ufficiale di macchina Tim Parker Eaton, che ha lasciato il Paese su un volo privato insieme allo skipper e Matthew Griffiths, il marinaio che la notte della bufera era di guardia in plancia e che, ieri, ha raggiunto Nizza. Anche il resto dell'equipaggio, alla spicciolata, se ne è andato, chi a Istanbul, chi a Dubai, dopo essere stato sentito dai pm. Eventuali nuovi interrogatori, dunque, dovranno svolgersi all'estero.

L'esame del relitto

Decisamente più rilevanti per comprendere come un veliero dotato di quella tecnologia possa essere affondato in pochi minuti sarà l'esame del relitto che dovrebbe essere recuperato dalla società armatrice del Bayesian, sotto la sorveglianza della Guardia Costiera che è anche custode giudiziario della nave posta sotto sequestro. Lo stato dell'imbarcazione potrebbe dare qualche risposta ai pm che ormai puntano sull'errore umano e tentano di capire se e come, a quanto al momento sembra, un comandante esperto e un equipaggio altrettanto preparato abbiano potuto commettere tante leggerezze. Dalla ignoranza o dalla sottovalutazione, nonostante la strumentazione a disposizione dello yacht, della tempesta in arrivo, che aveva invece, indotto i pescatori di Porticello a non prendere il mare, alla mancata allerta dei passeggeri che non sarebbero stati invitati a lasciare le cabine. E ancora tutta da capire è la posizione del veliero rispetto alla costa, con l'ancora costretta dal fondale sabbioso ad arare sbilanciando la barca. Al centro dell'inchiesta è anche lo stato del portellone di poppa e di alcune paratie che, viene ipotizzato, non sarebbero state chiuse. Circostanza che, se fosse verificata, avrebbe determinato l'allagamento dello yacht (improbabile dicono gli esperti che tanta acqua sia potuta entrare dalle bocche di areazione) e poi l'affondamento. E ancora, si chiedono gli inquirenti, perchè Cutfield e i suoi non hanno acceso i motori e diretto la prua verso il mare come la barca olandese poco distante che ha resistito alla tempesta? Infine perchè l'allarme, lanciato dalla zattera di salvataggio con un razzo, è stato dato dopo che il Bayesian s'era inabissato? Troppi errori per gente esperta su cui la Procura vuole andare a fondo. 

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Specifications

Basic information.

• Builder Stamas
• Category Express Cruiser
• HIN/IMO STA2917B696
• Condition Used
• Hull Material Fiberglass
• LOA 31' 7"

1996 Stamas 29'

Owner Motivated New Canvas Full Enclosure Custom Hardtop Lounge area above helm 2014 Twim Mercury Optimax 250s

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Brewer Yacht Sales is pleased to assist you in the purchase of this vessel. This boat is centrally listed by St. Petersburg Yacht Sales & Service. It is offered as a convenience by this broker/dealer to its clients and is not intended to convey direct representation of a particular vessel

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One of Wales' richest men has put £1.5m into a start up with serious global ambitions

Sir Stanley Thomas OBE is backing a a Wales-based road safety firm

• 14:55, 27 APR 2018
• Updated 17:32, 27 APR 2018

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One of Wales’ most well known business figures has made a £1.5m investment into a Wales-based road safety start-up company.

Sir Stanley Thomas OBE, the property developer best known for founding catering giant Peter’s Food Services and more recently as benefactor to his hometown Merthyr RFC, is backing Penarth-based Road Safety Designs. His investment sees him take a 70% equity in the firm.

Sir Stanley, 76, is backing the company whose first product, the BriteAngle LED warning triangle is on its initial production run of 100,000 units with a commitment to manufacturing in Rhondda Cynon Taf, creating a minimum of four new assembly jobs with more to follow when the company ramps up to full capacity.

The BriteAngle LED warning triangle has already attracted national recognition – Highly Commended in the Best In-Car Product Of The Year category in the inaugural FirstCar Awards at the RAC, Pall Mall this week.

The BriteAngle LED warning triangle was created to make the motorist much more visible in the event of an unexpected stop, using flashing, high-intensity LEDs to warn drivers of hazards up to 300 metres away.

Drivers can therefore place the warning triangle directly behind their vehicle, making it quicker and safer if they have to stop, enabling them to be seen more clearly, reducing the risk of an accident, and making it much safer for themselves and other road users.

Sir Stanley said: “I’ve haven’t been this excited about a new business venture for some years.

"This first product in the range, and the others following on, will impact hugely on road safety, and we are already getting high demand in international markets, where warning triangles are compulsory.

"These are products that are designed, developed and produced in Wales, and I’m proud to get behind what I firmly believe will be a great Welsh export success.”

In addition to the investment made by Sir Stanley, a further investment of around £200,000 by DB Mouldings has been made in tool injection presses to enable Road Safety Designs to manufacture in Rhondda Cynon Taf.

The Welsh Government is supporting the international promotion of BriteAngle LED warning triangles over the next few years. The product is already selling in Germany, France and Italy, and there is interest in the UAE, USA, Scandinavia and the Republic of Ireland. It is sold, for example, in the showrooms of Aston Martin specialist Desmond J. Smail.

Road Safety Designs founder and managing director Stephen Wornham, who own the remaining 30% along with commercial director Carol Gillanders, said: “This is a really exciting time for us, with huge interest in our first product and the next two coming on stream later this year and in 2019.

"Having someone like Sir Stanley on board, with his huge business experience and passion for Wales, will help us enormously in our ambitions.”

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