Italian authorities have launched an investigation to ascertain if open hatches left by crew members contributed to the dramatic sinking of tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht. The luxury sailboat Bayesian was moored off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo, Italy, when an unexpected waterspout struck the area just before 5 a.m.
on Monday, causing the vessel to be severely damaged and sink quickly. Of the 22 people on board, 15 were rescued by nearby ships. Unfortunately, the yacht's chef died, and six people, including British tech billionaire Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, are still missing and are believed to be still trapped in their cabins or already dead.
Among the survivors is Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, 57, who, according to the Daily Mirror, is in a state of "shock and sadness" as the search for her husband, daughter, and four others continues into its third day. Experts on the scene indicated that one of the initial focuses of the official investigation, led by prosecutors in nearby Termini Imerese, will be whether the yacht's crew properly secured the access hatches before the storm hit. The investigation will examine whether the crew took the necessary precautions given the weather forecasts and if any crew members might face criminal charges.
In the meantime, divers, who are working to locate the six missing passengers, have managed to break through a 3cm-thick porthole with help from a local blacksmith experienced in boat repairs. The blacksm.