A luxury yacht named “Bayesian” sank off the coast of Sicily early on Monday after being struck by an unexpectedly violent storm. The British-flagged sailboat, measuring 56 meters in length, was anchored near the port of Porticello when it was hit by severe weather conditions, according to the Italian coast guard.
The yacht, carrying 22 people, sank rapidly shortly before dawn, as reported by eyewitnesses. Fifteen individuals managed to escape, including Mike Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, who owned the boat, and a one-year-old girl. The names of the deceased and missing have not yet been released, but it has been confirmed that Lynch is among the missing. The onboard chef was identified as the person who died.
The Italian coast guard reported that the missing passengers include British, American, and Canadian nationals. The voyage had been organized by Lynch for his colleagues.
A nearby boat’s captain recounted that when the storm intensified, he activated his engine to control his vessel and avoid a collision with the Bayesian, which was anchored beside him. Once the storm passed, he noticed the yacht had disappeared and later found some survivors on a life raft, including three seriously injured individuals and a baby girl with her mother, whom he then rescued.
Lynch, 59, is a prominent British tech entrepreneur, known for founding Autonomy, the largest software company in the UK, based on his groundbreaking research at Cambridge University. He sold the company to HP for $11 billion in 2011, but the deal later fell apart, leading to accusations of fraud against him. Lynch, once celebrated in academic and scientific circles, spent much of the past decade in legal battles. He was acquitted in June by a jury in San Francisco after spending over a year under house arrest, expressing relief at the verdict and blaming HP for mishandling the merger.
The coast guard is currently inspecting the wreck of the Bayesian, which lies at a depth of 49 meters. Authorities in Termini Imerese have initiated an investigation into the incident.
Recent storms and heavy rainfall have affected Italy following a period of intense heat, which elevated the Mediterranean Sea’s temperature to record levels, increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events. Meteorologist Luca Mercalli explained that the higher sea surface temperature, nearly 30 degrees Celsius, contributes to such severe storms, though it’s not solely attributable to global warming.
The Bayesian, built by Italian shipbuilder Perini in 2008 and refitted in 2020, features the world’s tallest aluminum mast at 75 meters. It was owned by Revtom Limited, with Bacares listed as the sole shareholder. The yacht, named after Bayesian theory—a reference to Lynch’s PhD thesis and successful software—had received several design awards and could accommodate up to 12 guests in six suites, along with a crew of 10. It departed from Milazzo on August 14 and was last tracked anchored east of Palermo on Sunday evening.
