Brit tech boss among the missing after $18m yacht sinks of coast to Italy
A tech mogul is missing along with five other people after a superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily.
British entrepreneur Mike Lynch is among those who have not yet been found after the huge yacht, named Bayesian, capsized with 22 people onboard.
The incident happened in the early hours of Monday, August 19, when the vessel ran into a violent storm.
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At around 5am, the superyacht became submerged just off the coast of Palermo, around 2,297ft away from the harbor.
In the week prior to the incident, Bayesian had been sailing around northern Sicily and the Aeolian Islands, according to the yacht's travel history on MarineTraffic.
So far, 15 people are reported to have been rescued by coast guard patrol boats and firefighters, eight of which were taken to hospital for treatment.
One of the people who have been aided is reportedly Angela Bacares, who is the wife of Lynch.
People who are still missing include four Brits, two Americans and one Canadian.
According to a spokesperson for the Italian fire rescue service, one body has been found near the wreck since the search began.
The boat was made up of 10 crew members and 12 passengers, and the body is believed to be that of the chef.
It was located near the site of the wreckage, at a depth of 164ft below the surface, by divers who have been searching the area for missing people.
BBC News reported that Lynch has been confirmed as one of the six people still missing as the search, which includes a helicopter and rescue boats, continues.
One British survivor of the incident spoke to reporters at la Repubblica, an Italian news outlet, recalling how she held her infant child’s head above the water until rescuers arrived.
She said: “I held her afloat with all my strength, my arms stretched upwards to keep her from drowning.
“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.”
Both the mother and her one-year-old daughter were saved and Corriere della Sera newspaper reported that the child hugged the firefighter who rescued her.
Camper & Nicholsons, managers of the Bayesian, said in a statement: “The Italian Coast Guard is leading search and rescue operations, and has safely recovered 15 individuals. Efforts to locate the seven missing persons continue.
“Our priority is assisting with the ongoing search and providing all necessary support to the rescued passengers and crew.
“More information will be provided as it becomes available."
While at least one person has died, the search for the six still missing is ongoing.