Rescue operations are in full swing in Sicily as teams search for six people still missing following the sinking of a luxury yacht during a violent storm on Monday. The yacht, named "Bayesian," was a British-flagged 56-meter sailboat carrying 22 people. It was anchored near Porticello when the storm hit, causing the vessel to capsize quickly. Among those missing are British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah.

What Happened?

The storm struck the yacht around 4 a.m. local time, leading to its swift overturn after the mast broke. The Italian Coast Guard confirmed the death of the yacht’s chef, Ricardo Thomas, from Antigua. Fifteen people managed to escape before the yacht sank, including Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, and a one-year-old girl. According to Salvatore Cocina, head of Civil Protection in Sicily, "the wives of both Jonathan Bloomer and Chris Morvillo are also unaccounted for."

Search Challenges

Specialist divers reached the wreck, located about 50 meters underwater, on Monday but faced difficulties due to obstructions. These challenges have complicated the ongoing search. Renato Schifani, President of Sicily, visited the children's hospital in Palermo to see the rescued one-year-old girl and her parents. He stated, "My thoughts go to all the people involved and their families, but today we are also here to testify that the solidarity and commitment of our health workers and Civil Protection volunteers are a precious resource for our community."

Who Was Onboard?

Mike Lynch, the 59-year-old founder of Autonomy, was on the yacht to celebrate his recent acquittal in a legal battle with Hewlett Packard. Lynch had been accused of inflating Autonomy's value in an $11 billion sale. After being extradited from Britain to the U.S., he was acquitted of fraud charges in June. The yacht trip was reportedly a celebration of this legal victory.

Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International, and Chris Morvillo, a lawyer from Clifford Chance, were also on board and are among those missing. Clifford Chance declined to comment on the situation when contacted by CNBC. Aki Hussain, CEO of Hiscox, expressed his sorrow, stating, "We are deeply shocked and saddened by this tragic event."

Stephen Chamberlain, Lynch’s co-defendant who was also acquitted in the trial, died in a separate incident when he was struck by a car while jogging in Cambridgeshire just before the yacht tragedy. His lawyer described Chamberlain as someone who fought to clear his name and whose memory lives on through his family.

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