PORTICELLO, Italy. Italian divers have recovered the body of 18-year-old Hannah Lynch, daughter of British tech mogul Mike Lynch, from the wreckage of the luxury yacht Bayesian. The discovery marks the retrieval of the last missing person after the vessel tragically sank off the coast of Sicily earlier this week.
The 56-meter (184-foot) yacht capsized during a violent pre-dawn storm on Monday, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals, including Lynch himself. The incident occurred near Porticello, close to Palermo, where 15 others, including Lynch’s wife and the yacht’s captain, survived the ordeal.
The Lynch family, devastated by the loss, broke their silence on Friday, expressing their profound grief. “Their thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy. They would like to sincerely thank the Italian coastguard, emergency services, and all those who helped in the rescue,” a family spokesperson stated. “Their one request now is that their privacy be respected at this time of unspeakable grief.”
Authorities in Termini Imerese have launched an investigation into the possible causes of the disaster, including potential human error. So far, no formal charges have been filed, and none of the survivors have made public statements.
Hannah Lynch’s body was discovered on Friday by specialist divers who had been combing through the submerged yacht for five days. A senior official involved in the rescue operation, who requested anonymity, confirmed the discovery. The remains of the other five deceased passengers were found on Wednesday and Thursday, while the body of the only crew member who perished, onboard chef Recaldo Thomas, was located near the wreck on Monday.
The bodies have been transported to Palermo for official identification and autopsies.
The sinking of the Bayesian, a high-end yacht manufactured by Italian company Perini, has baffled marine experts. The vessel, known for its robust design, should have withstood the storm, raising questions about how it sank so quickly.
Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, which owns Perini, ruled out any design or construction flaws. He attributed the tragedy to “indescribable, unreasonable errors” made by the crew. The yacht, now lying on its side at a depth of 50 meters (164 feet), remains largely intact, and plans to salvage it are underway.
Nick Sloane, a South African engineer renowned for his work on salvaging the Costa Concordia cruise liner, estimated that the operation to recover the Bayesian could cost up to 15 million euros ($16.7 million) and take six to eight weeks. “Bringing the yacht to the surface will have to be done very, very slowly,” he explained, noting the complexity and cost of the endeavor.
The Bayesian was hosting a celebration of Lynch’s acquittal in a recent U.S. fraud trial. Among those who lost their lives were Lynch’s lawyer, Chris Morvillo, and Jonathan Bloomer, a Morgan Stanley banker who testified as a character witness during the trial. The yacht was owned by a company headed by Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares.
As investigations continue, the maritime community remains in shock over the incident, and the Lynch family mourns the loss of their beloved daughter and other close friends.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
