Tragic Yacht Sinking Off Sicily: British Tycoon Among Casualties

British tech mogul Mike Lynch suffocated after his yacht sank off Sicily, killing six including his daughter. Cause of Hannah Lynch's death remains uncertain. Autopsies suggest suffocation for other victims. Experts puzzled over the yacht's quick sinking despite high-end build. Further tests are pending for all victims.

British tech tycoon Mike Lynch suffocated after his yacht sank off the coast of Sicily, according to an investigative source. His body was recovered from the family yacht that went down last month.

The disaster also claimed the lives of Lynch's daughter Hannah, an onboard cook, and four guests, when the British-flagged superyacht Bayesian sank during a sudden and severe weather event near Palermo on August 19.

Initial examinations on Hannah Lynch's body were inconclusive, ruling out traumas or wounds, and leaving open possibilities of oxygen deprivation or drowning. Most bodies were found in cabins on the yacht's left-hand side, where trapped passengers might have searched for air bubbles.

Preliminary autopsies on other victims, including Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judith, indicated suffocation. Fifteen people survived, including Lynch's wife and the yacht's captain.

Investigations suggest Canadian-Antiguan chef Recaldo Thomas died by drowning. Further forensic tests for all victims are pending, with results expected soon.

Naval experts are puzzled by the rapid sinking of the high-end Bayesian, built by Perini, part of The Italian Sea Group, despite its supposed durability against severe storms.

(With inputs from agencies.)