Sinking of Mike Lynch's yacht in Sicily: investigation opened for involuntary manslaughter by negligence

Sicilian prosecutors announced this Saturday, August 24, 2024, that they had opened an investigation for involuntary manslaughter by negligence, after the sinking of the super yacht that left seven dead near Palermo, while emphasizing that the investigations were only in their early stages.

“The Termini Imerese Public Prosecutor's Office has filed a case with the State against unknown persons, alleging the crimes of shipwreck by negligence and multiple negligent homicides”, prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio said at a press conference.

“We are only at the initial stage (…) At this stage, precisely because the investigation may evolve in one way or another, we are not ruling out anything at all”, he said added.

Violent storm

The luxury sailboat "Bayesian" of the British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, who is among the victims as is his 18-year-old daughter, sank Monday at dawn after a violent storm. Its wreck now lies 50 m deep about 700 m from the port of Porticello.

At this stage, the investigation is open against X but“It is possible that we will identify suspects before the wreck is raised,”, Cartosio added.

The 56-metre luxury super yacht sank within minutes after a sudden waterspout hit. Fifteen people were rescued, including six passengers.

“Unexpected event”

“It was a sudden and unexpected event”, he said.

According to Raffaele Macauda, ​​commander of the Palermo Port Authority, the sailboat was authorized to remain at anchor in the area where it sank. “There was no storm warning for that evening”, he said, recalling that the crew of a nearby vessel had also come to the aid of the survivors.

Investigation underway

The speed at which the yacht sank and the fact that other boats around it were not hit raise questions, including whether the ballasted keel, which counterbalances the imposing mast, was lowered or raised at the time of the storm.

Mike Lynch, a wealthy businessman nicknamed the “British Bill Gates”, celebrated with his friends, colleagues and lawyers his acquittal in June in a fraud trial in the United States that could have cost him years in prison.