A body believed to be that of Mike Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, has been found after a Bajan superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily.
The Italian Coast Guard said today that it had found the sixth and final body during a search of the wreck. Hannah is the only person still missing since the vessel sank in a storm this week.
An Italian Coast Guard spokesman likened the sunken yacht to “an 18-storey building filled with water” and said the search for the missing woman “has not been easy or quick.” Vincenzo Zagarola told the Pennsylvania Press Agency that “from the first moment it was neither easy nor quick to examine the boat.” “Imagine an 18-storey building filled with water.”
Italian investigators said today they “believe” that significant progress will be made in the search for the wreck. Asked if further progress was expected, Italian coast guard spokesman Vincenzo Zagarola said “we trust it.” The wreck, his wife Judith, lawyer Christopher Morvillo and his wife Neda, and Mr Lynch are also among those found. The body of chef Recardo Thomas was found on Monday shortly after the yacht sank.
An investigation into manslaughter has now been opened following the disaster. Italian authorities said they are “investigating the wreck and several cases of manslaughter.” Termini Imerese prosecutors, led by Ambrogio Cartosio, are trying to determine what caused the luxury liner to capsize off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo.
Local radio station Palermo reported today that investigators will examine video and photographs from a house near where the ship sank. Prosecutors have already questioned the yacht’s captain, James Cutfield, who said the sinking happened in just “a few minutes”.
It appears that billionaire tech tycoon Lynch hosted a party on the yacht to celebrate his acquittal on fraud and conspiracy charges in a US trial.
Condolences have poured in since his death. Family friend Patrick Jacob said, “Mike’s ability to identify and solve complex problems was as phenomenal as his ability to simplify and explain them.”
“As a friend, Mike was never a boring person and always managed to orchestrate a lively discussion.” Nearly any topic could be delivered with intelligence and gregarious enthusiasm. He could be challenging and outspoken, but every time I met him I felt my life had been enriched by the experience.’
