Cause of Mike Lynch’s superyacht sinking revealed as state of affairs deemed ‘irrecoverable’
Tech billionaire Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah were among seven people who died when the 56-metre (184ft) Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily on August 19 last year
The sinking of tech mogul Mike Lynch’s superyacht in Italy was due to “extreme wind” that the vessel couldn’t withstand, according to investigators. Mr Lynch, a billionaire entrepreneur aged 59, and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among seven fatalities when the 56-metre (184ft) Bayesian sank off Sicily’s coast on 19 August last year.
An interim report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) reveals that wind speeds of 63.4 knots (73.0mph) hitting the vessel’s side were enough to capsize it, suggesting it may have been “vulnerable” even to lighter winds.
The report highlighted that these “vulnerabilities” were “unknown to either the owner or the crew of Bayesian”, as they weren’t included in the stability information book kept on board.
At 4.06am local time, wind speeds surpassed 70 knots (80.6mph), “violently” tipping the vessel to a 90-degree angle in less than 15 seconds, say investigators, causing “people, furniture and loose items [to] fall across the deck”.
The report continued: “There was no indication of flooding inside Bayesian until water came in over the starboard rails and, within seconds, entered the internal spaces down the stairwells.”
Andrew Moll, chief inspector of marine accidents, stated: “The interim report presents a desktop study of the facts as we know them.
“The study has reviewed the yacht’s stability, the likely local weather conditions at the time and the effect of that weather on the yacht.”
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has revealed startling findings about the tragic capsizing of the yacht, stating: “The findings indicate that the extreme wind experienced by Bayesian was sufficient to knock the yacht over.”
They added: “Further, once the yacht had heeled beyond an angle of 70° the situation was irrecoverable.
“The results will be refined as the investigation proceeds, and more information becomes available,” the MAIB noted, as they continue their probe into the incident since the Bayesian was UK-registered.
While there’s no fixed date for the final report’s release, inquest proceedings in the UK are delving into the deaths of Mr Lynch and his daughter, alongside Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, all British nationals.
The catastrophe also claimed the lives of US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, and Canadian-Antiguan chef Recaldo Thomas.
Miraculously, 15 individuals, including Mr Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, were saved from the sinking vessel.
According to the MAIB report, the Bayesian had been moved to its final location the day before the disaster to seek “shelter” from predicted thunderstorms.
At 3am on the fateful morning, the wind was a mild “no more than eight knots (9mph)”, but a deck hand noticed “thunderclouds and lightning seemed to be getting closer”.
Just under an hour later, after sharing a video of the looming storm on social media, the same crew member went on deck to shut windows, aiming to shield the interior from the impending rain.
They observed that the wind had reached 30 knots (34.5mph) and suspected the vessel was dragging its anchor.
At 4am, they roused the superyacht’s skipper.
Several crew members were actively responding to the harsh conditions when the yacht capsized just six minutes later.
Five individuals sustained injuries “either by falling or from things falling on them”, and a deck hand was “thrown into the sea”, according to the report.
Two guests fashioned furniture drawers into “as an improvised ladder” to escape their cabin.
The captain directed those on deck to “swim clear of the mast and boom as the vessel was sinking”.
Survivors managed to board a life raft released from the Bayesian.
They were eventually rescued by a small boat sent from the nearby yacht Sir Robert Baden Powell, which was also anchored in the vicinity.
A thorough search was carried out at the site of the accident.
Local authorities later recovered all the bodies of the deceased.
The MAIB disclosed that its report relied on “a limited amount of verified evidence” due to a criminal probe by Italian officials limiting access to the wreck and other key evidence.
Efforts to right the Bayesian and bring it to the surface have been on hold since May 9 after a diver perished during an underwater operation.
Mr Lynch and his daughter reportedly resided near London, while the Bloomers were from Sevenoaks, Kent.
The business magnate established software behemoth Autonomy in 1996 and was exonerated in June last year of executing a colossal fraud over the sale of the firm to Hewlett-Packard in 2011.
The yacht voyage was a festivity marking his acquittal in the case in the US.
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