Mystery Deepens in Tragic Superyacht Sinking

Four bodies were discovered on a sunken superyacht tied to tech magnate Mike Lynch. The Bayesian, anchored off Sicily, capsized during a fierce storm, claiming lives including Lynch and his daughter. Specialist rescuers continue the search, while the cause of the rapid sinking remains a mystery.

Four bodies were discovered on Wednesday aboard the sunken superyacht Bayesian, owned by the wife of British tech magnate Mike Lynch. Authorities have yet to identify the victims officially. Three bodies were taken ashore for formal identification, and a fourth was being brought as evening set in.

According to Britain's Daily Telegraph, two victims were Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter. Italian authorities in Sicily have declined to comment. The 56-metre-long Bayesian, carrying 22 people, was anchored off Porticello when it was hit by a pre-dawn storm on Monday.

Lynch, aged 59, was one of the UK's most renowned tech entrepreneurs. He invited friends to celebrate his recent acquittal in a U.S. fraud trial. Besides Lynch and his daughter, others unaccounted for include Judy and Jonathan Bloomer and Chris and Neda Morvillo.

Specialist rescuers have been searching the yacht for two days. The victims were trapped in cabins, accessible to divers for only 8-10 minutes before resurfacing. Fifteen people escaped the yacht before it sank, and the body of the chef, Recaldo Thomas, was found near the wreck.

The Bayesian rests on its side at about 50 metres deep, largely intact. The coast guard has deployed a remotely operated vehicle to scan the seabed and capture images for prosecutors investigating the disaster.

The coast guard questioned survivors, including Bayesian's captain and nearby yacht passengers. Experts are puzzled by how the yacht, fitted with top-class safety features, could sink within minutes.

Bayesian, built in 2008 and refitted in 2020 by Italian shipbuilder Perini, had the world's tallest aluminium mast. Lynch, dubbed Britain's Bill Gates, built Autonomy, the UK's largest software firm. He was acquitted of U.S. fraud charges in June. Captain Cutfield, a respected sailor, survived the shipwreck.

Maritime expert Matthew Schanck said Bayesian fell victim to a rare, high-impact weather event. No one has been placed under investigation.

(With inputs from agencies.)