Tragedy Strikes as Tornado Sinks Luxury Yacht Off Sicily: Six Missing, One Confirmed Dead
A luxury yacht sank off the coast of Sicily after being struck by a tornado early Monday morning, leaving one person dead and six others, including British tech mogul Mike Lynch, missing. The incident occurred near the port of Porticello, with the yacht anchored just half a mile away when the disaster struck at around 5 a.m., according to Italy’s Coast Guard.
Among the 22 people on board, four Britons and two Americans are currently unaccounted for, and Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, was rescued, though the whereabouts of the software pioneer remain unknown. Fifteen survivors were pulled from the wreckage, including a child who was airlifted to a hospital in Palermo. Unfortunately, one body was discovered on the hull of the sunken yacht.
The tornado, identified as a small waterspout, formed over the area during a period of intense weather, which included severe storms across Sicily. These storms brought heavy rainfall, with some areas seeing over four inches of rain in just a few hours. The Coast Guard had issued warnings about the potential for strong winds and violent storms throughout southern Italy on Sunday, adding to the unpredictability of the weather conditions that led to this tragic event.
Survivors have recounted the harrowing moments during the storm. Charlotte, a 35-year-old mother, described the terrifying experience of clinging to her one-year-old daughter, Sofia, as the waves engulfed them. She vividly recalled how the yacht was quickly overtaken by the sea’s fury, forcing her to fight against the elements to keep her daughter safe.
The 56-meter yacht, named “Bayesian,” was registered under a British flag and carried mostly British passengers and crew, with a few from France, New Zealand, Ireland, and Sri Lanka. Rescue operations are ongoing, with divers from the Italian fire brigade reaching the yacht’s hull, which lies 49 meters below sea level. Helicopters have also been deployed to aid in the search for the missing individuals.
Nearby, another boat narrowly avoided the same fate as the Bayesian, with its captain describing how he had to start his engine to prevent a collision during the fierce gales. Once the storm subsided, the captain realized the Bayesian had disappeared beneath the waves.
Mike Lynch, a renowned figure in the tech industry, has been at the center of legal battles since selling his company, Autonomy, to Hewlett-Packard in 2011 for $11 billion. Recently, he was acquitted of fraud in a San Francisco court, but the ongoing legal saga has continued to cast a shadow over his career.
The search for the missing continues as authorities and rescue teams remain hopeful of finding survivors in the aftermath of this devastating maritime tragedy.
