British tech mogul Mike Lynch and five others are reported missing after their luxury superyacht sank during a freak storm storm off the coast of Sicily, according to Italy's civil protection agency. Lynch's wife and 14 others managed to survive the incident. As reported by the Associated Press , The Italian coast guard confirmed that the vessel had a crew of 10 and 12 passengers on board.
The superyacht, a 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged vessel named Bayesian, was struck by a sudden and severe storm that hit the area overnight. Citing the rescue authorities, the report also stated that that one body has been recovered, and police divers are attempting to access the ship's hull, located 50 meters (163 feet) deep off the coast of Porticello near Palermo, where the yacht had been anchored. Salvo Cocina of Sicily's civil protection agency said, “They were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
” He also added that another nearby superyacht suffered less damage and was able to assist in rescuing 15 survivors, including Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares. Who is Mike Lynch? Mike Lynch , 59, is a prominent figure in the UK's tech industry. He founded Autonomy, the nation's largest software company, based on his pioneering research at Cambridge University, earning him the nickname "Britain's Bill Gates.
" In 2011, Lynch sold Autonomy to HP for $11 billion, but the deal quickly turned sour, with the U.S. tech giant later accusing him of fraud related to the acquisition, as reported by Reuters.
Once lauded by academics, scientists and politicians, Lynch spent much of the past decade in legal battles to clear his name. After spending over a year under what was essentially house arrest, he was acquitted by a jury in San Francisco in June. Representatives for Lynch and U.
S. prosecutors said Lynch was acquitted on all 15 charges -- one count of conspiracy, and 14 counts of wire fraud, each connected to specific transactions or communications. (With inputs from AP, Reuters).
