British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, Morgan Stanley International director Jonathan Bloomer, and American lawyer Chris Morvillo are among six individuals unaccounted for after a tornado struck a luxury yacht near Sicily. The yacht sank on Monday, resulting in one confirmed fatality out of the 22 people onboard, as its mast, one of the tallest in the world, shattered during the storm. A total of fifteen individuals were rescued.
Salvatore Cocina, head of the Civil Protection agency on the island, reported that the wives of Bloomer and Morvillo are also missing. Bloomer serves as the non-executive chairman of Morgan Stanley International and is also chairman of Hiscox, a London-listed insurer. A spokesperson for Morgan Stanley expressed deep shock and sadness regarding the incident, particularly for the Bloomer family as they await updates.
Hiscox’s CEO Aki Hussain added that the company is profoundly saddened by the tragic news, especially for the Bloomer family, as they hope for more information.
Search efforts resumed on Tuesday, with divers from the Italian fire brigade attempting to reach the submerged yacht after an initial unsuccessful attempt, according to the Coast Guard. The tornado struck around 5 a.m. local time, while the yacht was anchored approximately half a mile from Porticello.
Severe weather in Sicily resulted in heavy rainfall late Sunday, with reports indicating over 4 inches fell in just four hours in areas like Brolo. Notably, a waterspout developed over the vicinity where the yacht was located.
The body of the onboard chef, identified as Ricardo Thomas, an Antiguan national, was found in the wreckage. Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, the yacht’s captain, and a one-year-old girl were among those rescued, but Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter remains missing.
In an interview with an Italian newspaper, Bacares described how she initially felt little concern when awakened at 4 a.m. due to the boat tilting but grew alarmed when chaos erupted as the yacht’s windows shattered.
Lynch, aged 59, had recently been acquitted in a fraud trial tied to the sale of Autonomy to Hewlett Packard, where prosecutors accused him of falsely inflating revenue figures. Morvillo, a key defender in Lynch’s case, is also among the missing.
A representative from Clifford Chance, Morvillo’s law firm, expressed their shock and sympathy for him and his wife, emphasizing their priority in supporting affected family members.
One survivor, Charlotte, recounted the harrowing experience of trying to keep her one-year-old daughter safe as waves overtook the yacht, describing a scene filled with panic and cries for help.
The British-flagged yacht, named “Bayesian,” measured 56 meters (184 feet) and had a majority British passenger and crew list, with some individuals from other countries. A team from the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch is being sent to Palermo for an initial assessment of the yacht.
The yacht’s operator, Perini Navi, noted that it carried the tallest aluminum mast globally at 72.27 meters (237 feet), slightly shorter than the tallest mast in the world, which belongs to the Mirabella V.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.