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The daughter of tech tycoon Mike Lynch, who died with her father on the luxury superyacht Bayesian, has been described as a “diamond in a sea of stars” by a survivor from the tragedy.
Hannah Lynch, aged 18, was one of 22 people onboard her father’s luxury boat the Bayesian when it capsized during stormy weather on Monday.
Her body was discovered along with her father by rescue teams following the disaster of the island of Sicily last week.
A manslaughter investigation has since been launched, prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio announced at a press conference on Saturday.
Sasha Murray, chief stewardess of the Bayesian who is understood to have been rescued from the yacht, said: “Those who knew her will know that Hannah was a diamond in a sea of stars. Bright, beautiful and always shining.
“What most people may not have seen was the extraordinarily strong, deep and loving relationship she shared with her parents, whom she adored more than anything.”
“I have no doubt that the Irish, Latina fire that burns in her soul kept that spirited determination alive,” she added.
Morgan Stanley chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judith Bloomer, Clifford Chance lawyer Christopher Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo also died.
Key Points
- Prosecutor says likely Bayesian victims tried to escape sinking superyacht
- A manslaughter investigation has been opened into the deaths
- Key takeaways from the press conference
- Five bodies were found in same cabin, prosecution says
Pictured: Bayesian superyacht
What is a downburst?
Officials said the superyacht had been hit by a downburst and the Italian officials said they would be looking at how it could affect one vehicle and not other nearby vessels, according to the translation of the conference.
A downburst is an intense burst of wind at ground level emenating from the strong downdraft of a thunderstorm; the wind often blows radially from a point source, as opposed to the rotating winds associated with a tornado.
Downbursts usually last just a few minutes, and can be particularly dangerous for aviation.
They have been blamed for a number of air crashes over the years, although the risk tends to be well forecast by meteorologists allowing pilots to avoid them.
Who is Angela Bacares?
Wife of Mike Lynch, 57-year-old Angela Bacares managed to escape to safety and is in a wheelchair with abrasions on her feet that prevent her from walking, according to la Repubblica.
The newspaper said she told doctors that at 4am, the boat had tilted and she and her husband were woken up.
Under Angela Bacares’ name, the couple’s estimated wealth is £852m, the Sunday Times Rich List revealed in 2023. They have a house in Chelsea, west London, but primarily live on their farm in Suffolk with their six dogs and rare breeds of pigs and cows.
Jabed Ahmed25 August 2024 10:39 1724577799Who died on the Bayesian yacht?
British technology tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among the people initially unaccounted for after his superyacht Bayesian sank in a storm off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday.
On Saturday morning, Italian authorities announced a manslaughter investigation had been launched into the deaths of seven people, after a five-day operation that has seen divers carefully navigating their way into the cabin bedrooms.
Mr Lynch and Hannah were among the seven people who died after the Bayesian superyacht sank near Porticello at about 5am local time on Monday.
Morgan Stanley chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judith Bloomer, Clifford Chance lawyer Christopher Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo also died.
Recaldo Thomas was the superyacht’s chef and the first person whose death was confirmed.
Jabed Ahmed25 August 2024 10:23 1724576599A diver who searched the wreck of the Bayesian for missing passengers has spoken of his team’s strong emotional reaction to recovering the body of Hannah Lynch during the complex operation.
“Finding bodies underwater is our job, you get used to it and keep your emotions under control, but locating the girl was different — it was an emotional moment because she was so young,” Fabio Paoletti, a member of the Italian firefighters’ diving team told The Sunday Times.
He added: “We got into a large room, but I couldn’t say how large because I couldn’t see the walls. That led to a staircase down to a narrow corridor linking to the cabins.
“Entering the Bayesian we needed to check for any obstacles that could impede our exit, which was crucial since you had such little time to get out.
“That means looking for a door or lid that could swing open or a curtain that could get in your way. You clear the path.”
Jabed Ahmed25 August 2024 10:03 1724575639Tributes to a ‘brave’ and ‘selfless’ friend who died on Bayesian
Friends of Recaldo “Rick” Thomas have paid tribute to their ‘brave’ and ‘selfless’ friend who was found in the water near the superyacht Bayesian.
“Rick could have jumped off and survived, I have no doubt about that. But he wouldn’t have left people on board and just swum away,” his friend Gareth Williams told The Sunday Times.
“I read that the first mate was quite young, Rick would have said to him, ‘Get off the boat, man, I am here, I got this.’ That’s just who he was.”
He added: “He had this infectious smile and a sultry, baritone voice. He was the type of person you could sit in a room with — no TV, no music playing, and just be. You didn’t have to say a word. You just enjoy his company.”
Tribute to ‘genius’ storyteller Mike Lynch
Susannah Gurdun, a close family friend of the Lynch’s from Suffolk, shared a series of heartfelt stories about Mike Lynch and who he was beyond being one of Britain’s biggest tech moguls.
Ms Gurdun told of his “thrilling ability” to explain difficult and complicated concepts in a way people could easily understand.
His wife, Angela Bacares, and his daughters were telling Ms Gurdun of his ability to “conjure beautiful stories out of thin air”.
The following evening, Mr Lynch told a story as the dinner plates were cleared about a hero, who was the same age as Ms Gurdun’s son, embarking on adventures in search of treasure. She called it “magical”.
She added that she was not surprised to learn that Hannah had begun showing “serious literary promise”.
Jabed Ahmed25 August 2024 09:29 1724572999Mapped: Where did the Bayesian sink?
Giant masts, moon pools and pole explorer pods: How the world of yachts got supersized
Giant masts, moon pools and explorer pods: How the world of yachts got supersized
The sinking of Mike Lynch’s ‘unsinkable’ sailing vessel was not only a heartbreaking tragedy, but also gave us a rare glimpse into the superyachting fraternity. Here, Boat International’s Lucy Dunn looks at a group that is both secretive and innovative, and asks how such a high-spec sailing yacht could have sunk at all...
Jabed Ahmed25 August 2024 08:43 1724570959It is probable offences were committed, prosecutor says
Public prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio said he thought it was “probable that offences were committed” surrounding the sinking of the yacht.
He told reporters that the sinking could have been the responsibility of the captain, crew, individuals in charge of supervision, the ship-builder, or others.
He added: “We will establish each element’s responsibility – that will be done by the inquiry, so we can’t do that prematurely.
“For me, it is probable that offences were committed – that it could be a case of manslaughter – but we can only establish that if you give us the time to investigate.
“Media timing is completely different from that of a prosecutor. We need a minimum amount of time to come to a proper scientific conclusion.”
Jabed Ahmed25 August 2024 08:29 Newer1 / 6OlderDisclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
