British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, Morgan Stanley International director Jonathan Bloomer, and prominent American lawyer Chris Morvillo are among six individuals still unaccounted for following a tornado that struck a luxury yacht off the coast of Sicily. The yacht sank on Monday, resulting in one fatality among the 22 individuals on board, after its mast—one of the tallest in the world—snapped during the storm. Fifteen passengers were rescued.
Salvatore Cocina, head of the Civil Protection agency for the Italian island, confirmed the missing status of Bloomer and Morvillo’s wives as well. Bloomer serves as the non-executive chairman of Morgan Stanley International and is also the chairman of Hiscox, a London-listed insurance company. A Morgan Stanley spokesperson expressed deep sadness and shock over the tragedy and extended thoughts to the families involved, especially the Bloomers.
Hiscox’s CEO Aki Hussain also expressed sorrow regarding the situation, particularly for Jonathan and Judy Bloomer, who are among those still missing.
Italian fire brigade divers are expected to attempt to enter the submerged yacht again on Tuesday, following an unsuccessful search attempt on Monday, as announced by Italy’s Coast Guard. The tornado hit the vessel around 5 a.m. local time while it was anchored approximately half a mile from Porticello harbor.
Severe storms impacted Sicily, bringing heavy rainfall that reached 4 inches in less than four hours in some areas. Reports indicate that a waterspout formed over the yacht’s location early Monday morning. The onboard chef, identified as Ricardo Thomas from Antigua, was found deceased on the vessel. Among those rescued were Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, the yacht’s captain, and a one-year-old girl, although Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter remains missing.
An Italian newspaper reported that Bacares and Lynch did not initially feel alarmed when awoken by the tilting of the boat at 4 a.m. Their concern grew when the yacht’s windows shattered, leading to chaotic conditions.
Lynch, a 59-year-old tech investor, was recently acquitted of fraud charges related to the sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett Packard. Morvillo, affiliated with Clifford Chance, played a key role in Lynch’s defense, and the firm expressed their distress over the missing partners.
One survivor recounted the harrowing experience of clinging to her one-year-old daughter amidst the chaos, as waves enveloped the yacht.
The UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch is sending a team to Palermo for an initial evaluation of the yacht. The 56-meter (184-foot) yacht named “Bayesian” was registered under a British flag and carried primarily British passengers, along with a diverse mix from other nationalities.
While two New Zealand citizens were involved in the incident, they were not among the missing individuals. The identity of the deceased has not been released.
The yacht was notable for its aluminum mast, standing at 72.27 meters (237 feet), which ranks as one of the tallest in the world, falling short of the record held by a different yacht.
This story is ongoing and will be updated as more information becomes available.