my rahil yacht

RAHIL current position and history of port calls are received by AIS. Technical specifications, tonnages and management details are derived from VesselFinder database. The data is for informational purposes only and VesselFinder is not responsible for the accuracy and reliability of RAHIL data.

'My little angel': Sister of final yacht victim Hannah Lynch speaks for first time since tragedy

Mike Lynch, 59, was confirmed dead on Thursday after the Bayesian superyacht he was holidaying on sunk in the early hours of Monday. Divers recovered the final missing body from the wreckage on Friday, which is believed to be that of his 18-year-old daughter Hannah.

Sunday 25 August 2024 08:54, UK

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

The Lynch family have said they are "devastated" and "in shock" but are being "comforted and supported by family and friends" after the Bayesian superyacht tragedy.

British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, 59, was confirmed dead by local authorities on Thursday after the yacht he was holidaying on sunk in the early hours of Monday.

Family release statement; superyacht sinking latest

Divers recovered the final missing body from the wreckage on Friday , which is believed to be that of his 18-year-old daughter Hannah. Her mother and Mr Lynch's wife Angela Bacares survived the disaster.

'She is my little angel, my star'

Miss Lynch's sister, Esme, said in a statement on Friday: "Hannah often burst into my bedroom and lay down with me.

"Sometimes beaming with a smile, sometimes cheeky, sometimes for advice.

"No matter what, she brought boundless love to me. She was endlessly caring, passionately mad, unintentionally hilarious and the most amazing, supportive and joyful sister and best friend to me.

"And on top of all this, she had even more love to give endlessly to all her friends and passion to give to her incredible studies and goals. She is my little angel, my star."

A spokesperson for the family said in a statement on Friday: "The Lynch family is devastated, in shock and is being comforted and supported by family and friends.

"Their thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy. They would like to sincerely thank the Italian coastguard, emergency services and all those who helped in the rescue. Their one request now is that their privacy be respected at this time of unspeakable grief."

Tributes have since poured in for both members of the family.

'Lit up the classroom'

Miss Lynch "lit up the classroom with her energy, passion for learning and sheer intelligence", Jon Mitropoulos-Monk, head of English at Latymer Upper School in west London, said.

"I've never taught someone who combined sky-high intellectual ability with warmth and enthusiasm in the way Hannah did," he said on Friday.

He added that when she was awarded her place to study at Oxford she sought out every member of staff to "thank them individually and give them a hug".

Family friend Patrick Jacob said he has "never met anybody like Hannah", describing her as "charming and ferociously intelligent with an insatiable thirst for life and knowledge".

"We have lost one of our brightest stars whose future held so much promise. Her loss is unbearable," he added.

Miss Lynch's school friend Katya Lacie said she had a "beautiful soul".

"Being with Hannah made me feel whole and happy. She is the most special friend anyone could ask for and I will always love Hannah," she said.

Andrew Kanter, a close friend and former colleague of her father, described Mr Lynch as "the most brilliant mind and caring person I have ever known".

"There is simply no other UK technology entrepreneur of our generation who has had such an impact on so many people," he said.

Sushovan Hussain, a school friend and former colleague of Mr Lynch, also knew Morgan Stanley chairman Jonathan Bloom, his wife Judy, and Mr Lynch's lawyer Chris Morvillo, who also died when the yacht sunk.

He said Mr Lynch's death "leaves an unfillable hole in my life", adding it is "tragic beyond words".

Survivor remembers 'diamond' Hannah

Sasha Murray, the chief stewardess on the Bayesian, who survived the sinking, said in a statement those who knew Hannah knew she was "a diamond in a sea of stars".

After calling her "bright, beautiful and always shining," Ms Murray said: "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.

"While swimming with them she often said, if anything ever happened she would save them.

"I have no doubt that the Irish, Latina fire that burns in her soul kept that spirited determination alive."

'A heart as big as his brain'

Family friend Albert Read said he "never met anyone like Mike".

Mr Read described him as "a searing intellect, a steel that would transform the world around him, an instinct for family and friends - organising children's treasure hunts, big gatherings of neighbours in Suffolk - and, with Angela, a determination to light up the worlds of art and science for his two beloved daughters.

"Warm, funny, brilliant, loyal and exceptionally brave, with a heart as big as his brain."

'Fantastic neighbour'

Ruth Leigh lived next door to Mr Lynch in Suffolk for 15 years.

On Thursday, she described them as "fantastic neighbours" and said the tech tycoon "never played on his position" and was "very friendly and down-to-earth" despite his fortune.

"Even though they were wealthy and influential people there was never any airs and graces," Ms Leigh told Sky News.

"He always went to the trouble of remembering your name, of asking after your partner or your children. From the very start they were fantastic neighbours - very friendly and down-to-earth.

"He'd come from a very ordinary background and through his own brains and intellect, he'd made a really great company and come up with some incredible ground-breaking tech. He was always very moral. He gave to charity very generously and never played on his position."

She described his death so soon after the end of his legal troubles as "the saddest thing I've ever heard".

"The whole point about this trip to Italy was taking his friends and family to say thank you. That's what makes it even more tragic," she added.

"Losing somebody so kind, compassionate, and full of integrity must leave a hole that cannot be filled."

Read more Who were the people on the yacht? What we know about the sinking so far Doctor reveals how British mother and baby survived Ian King: Why the odds were stacked against Lynch

Mr Lynch was extradited to the US and spent a year under house arrest in San Francisco before he was cleared of 15 charges of fraud earlier this summer by a jury.

Prosecutors claimed he deliberately overstated the value of Autonomy, the company he founded in 1996, when he sold it to Hewlett Packard in 2011. He always denied wrongdoing.

'Brain the size of a planet'

His former colleague told Sky News on Thursday he had a "brain the size of a planet" and was a "lovely man".

David Tabizel co-founded Autonomy with Mr Lynch and the pair remained good friends. He described him as a "remarkable individual" and the "brightest man I've met in my life".

"He had a remarkable set of personality traits that we rarely see in Britain," he said.

"Before him there was no British tech scene. He showed us we can be world-class."

Mr Tabizel told of Mr Lynch's "inner child", that he "loved video games", had a life-size train set in his garden, and how they animated a cartoon dog for their office, for which they both recorded the "barking noises".

Commenting on his legal struggles, Mr Tabizel said he "never heard him lie or exaggerate" and he was "interested in the truth... in cutting through the noise".

"For him to be accused of manipulating his profits. It was an extraordinary thing. It just wasn't Mike. I loved that man and he should be celebrated as a hero."

David Yelland, Mr Lynch's former PR adviser and former editor of The Sun newspaper, paid tribute to him in a post on X.

He said: "All those that knew and loved Mike are thinking of Angela and their surviving daughter Esme as they struggle to come to terms with such unimaginable loss.

"We have lost a man who was failed in life by his country and his peers when he needed them most - as he looked for help in the unjust US demand that he be extradited - and he has then suffered the most unfair and brutal of fates."

Mr Yelland said he had spoken to Mr Lynch just before he set sail on the yacht.

He also described him as a "dreamer of dreams not just for himself but for all those that knew him, worked with him or invested with him".

The entrepreneur had "exciting plans to contribute much more to the country he loved," he added.

Lord Browne, former chief executive of BP and now chairman of BeyondNetZero, said Mr Lynch was "the person who catalysed a breed of deep tech entrepreneurs in the UK".

"His ideas and his personal vision were a powerful contribution to science and technology in both Britain and globally. We have lost a human being of great ability," he wrote.

'Privileged to have known him'

Sky's Ian King said he "feels very privileged to have known and spoken with Mike Lynch over many years".

He described him as a "visionary and original thinker with a passion for building businesses". "There are sadly too few like him in the UK," he added.

The Royal Academy of Engineering, where Mr Lynch was a former council member, donor, and mentor, said it is "deeply saddened to learn of the death of Mike Lynch".

Sending condolences to his family, they added: "Mike became a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2008 and we have fond memories of the active role he played in the past as a mentor, donor, and former council member. He was also one of the inaugural members on the enterprise committee."

A spokesperson for technology industry group TechUK said: "Mike Lynch was a hugely significant and pioneering figure in the UK technology sector.

"Our hearts go out to all of the families and friends who have been impacted by these tragic events," they said.

Mr Lynch's Autonomy software was based on Bayesian statistical inference - where his family's ill-fated yacht got its name.

The software's global success earned him a reputation as the "British Bill Gates" and enabled companies to trawl through huge swathes of data more efficiently.

His Cambridge thesis is thought to be one of the most-read pieces of research in the institution's library.

There was huge outcry from politicians and business leaders when Home Secretary Priti Patel approved a judge's extradition order for him to be sent to the US for trial in 2023.

Related Topics

• Superyacht sinking

Advertisement

Supported by

Questions for Investigators Trying to Unravel Mystery of Luxury Yacht’s Sinking

The investigators searching for answers about the shipwreck, leaving seven dead, face questions about extreme weather and possible human error or problems with the yacht itself.

• Share full article

By Alan Yuhas

More than 180 feet long, with a mast towering about 240 feet and a keel that could be lowered for greater stability, the Bayesian luxury yacht did not, in the eyes of its maker, have the vulnerabilities of a ship that would easily sink.

“It drives me insane,” Giovanni Costantino, the chief executive of the Italian Sea Group, which in 2022 bought the company that made the ship, said after its wreck last week. “Following all the proper procedures, that boat is unsinkable.”

But the $40 million sailing yacht sank within minutes and with fatal results: seven dead, including the British technology billionaire Michael Lynch, his teenage daughter, four of Mr. Lynch’s friends and a member of the crew. Fifteen people, including the captain, escaped on a lifeboat.

Mr. Lynch had invited family, friends and part of his legal team on a cruise in the Mediterranean to celebrate his acquittal in June of fraud charges tied to the sale of his company to the tech giant Hewlett-Packard.

The Italian authorities have opened a manslaughter investigation, searching for answers from the survivors, the manufacturer and the wreck itself. They face a range of questions and possible factors.

An ‘earthquake’ in the sky?

When the Bayesian sank around 4 a.m. on Aug. 19, the waters in its area, about half a mile off the Sicilian port of Porticello, were transformed by an extremely sudden and violent storm, according to fishermen, a captain in the area and meteorologists.

But what kind of storm is still a mystery, compounded by the fact that a sailing schooner anchored nearby did not have its own disaster. Also unclear is whether the crew was aware that the Italian authorities had issued general warnings about bad weather the night before.

Karsten Börner, the captain of the nearby passenger ship, said he’d had to steady his ship during “really violent” winds . During the storm, he said, the Bayesian seemed to disappear behind his ship.

Severe lightning and strong gusts were registered by the Italian Air Force’s Center for Aerospace Meteorology and Climatology, according to Attilio Di Diodato, its director. “It was very intense and brief in duration,” he said.

The yacht, he said, had most likely been hit by a fierce downburst — a blast of powerful wind surging down during a thunderstorm. His agency put out rough-sea warnings the previous evening, alerting sailors about possible storms.

Locals have said the winds “felt like an earthquake.” A fisherman in Porticello said that he had seen a flare go off in the early-morning hours. His brother ventured to the site once the weather had calmed about 20 minutes later, he said, finding only floating cushions.

The Italian authorities have so far declined to say whether investigators had seen any structural damage to the hull or other parts of the ship.

Open hatches or doors?

The boat executive, Mr. Costantino, has argued that the Bayesian was an extremely safe vessel that could list even to 75 degrees without capsizing. His company, the Italian Sea Group, in 2022 bought the yacht’s manufacturer, Perini Navi, which launched the ship in 2008.

Mr. Costantino said that if some of the hatches on the side and in the stern, or some of the deck doors, had been open, the boat could have taken on water and sunk. Standard procedure in such storms, he said, would be to switch on the engine, lift the anchor and turn the boat into the wind, lowering the keel for extra stability, closing doors and gathering the guests in the main hall inside the deck.

At a news conference on Saturday, almost a week after the sinking, investigators said the yacht had sunk at an angle , with its stern — where the heavy engine was — having gone down first. The wreck was found lying on its right side at the bottom of a bay, about 165 feet deep.

12 guests occupied the yacht’s six cabins. There were also 10 crew members.

Open hatches, doors and cabin windows could have let in water during a storm, according to the manufacturer.

Open hatches, doors and

cabin windows could

have let in water

during a storm,

according to the

manufacturer.

Source: Superyacht Times, YachtCharterFleet, MarineTraffic

By Veronica Penney

Water pouring into open hatches or doors could have contributed to the sinking, experts say, but that on its own may not account for the speed at which such a large boat vanished underwater.

Asked about the hatches at the news conference, the authorities declined to comment on whether they had been found open at the wreck.

The authorities have also not specified whether the boat had been anchored, whether it was under power at the time or whether its sails had been unfurled.

A retracted keel?

The Bayesian had a keel — the fin-like structure beneath a boat that can help stabilize it — that could be retracted or extended, according to its manufacturer. On some yachts, keels can be raised to let the large vessel dock in shallower water, and extended downward to help keep a boat level.

But like the hatches, the status of the keel alone may not explain why a large ship sank with such precipitous speed. Investigators have not disclosed what divers may have seen at the wreck, aside from saying divers had faced obstacles like furnishings and electrical wiring in tight quarters. Officials want to raise the wreck to better examine it, a process that may take weeks.

Human error?

Ambrogio Cartosio, the prosecutor in charge of the case, said at the news conference that it was “plausible” crimes had been committed, but that investigators had not zeroed in on any potential suspects.

“There could be responsibilities of the captain only,” he said. “There could be responsibilities of the whole crew. There could be responsibilities of the boat makers. Or there could be responsibilities of those who were in charge of surveilling the boat.”

It remains unclear what kind of emergency training or preparation took place before the disaster, or what kind of coordination there was during it. So far, none of the surviving crew members have made a public statement about what happened the night the ship sank.

Prosecutors said they want to ask more questions of the captain and crew, who have been in a Sicilian hotel with other survivors. They said that neither alcohol nor drug tests had been performed on crew members, and that they have been allowed to leave Italy.

Prosecutors also said they were also investigating why the captain, an experienced sailor, left the sinking boat while some passengers were still on board.

Besides possible manslaughter charges, the authorities are investigating the possibility of a negligently caused shipwreck.

The bodies of five passengers were found in one cabin, on the left side of the yacht, the authorities said. The five were most likely trying to flee to the higher side of the boat and were probably sleeping when the boat started to sink, they said.

• Israel-Gaza War
• War in Ukraine
• US Election
• US & Canada
• UK Politics
• N. Ireland Politics
• Scotland Politics
• Wales Politics
• Latin America
• Middle East
• In Pictures
• Executive Lounge
• Technology of Business
• Women at the Helm
• Future of Business
• Science & Health
• Artificial Intelligence
• AI v the Mind
• Film & TV
• Art & Design
• Entertainment News
• Destinations
• Australia and Pacific
• Caribbean & Bermuda
• Central America
• North America
• South America
• World’s Table
• Culture & Experiences
• The SpeciaList
• Natural Wonders
• Weather & Science
• Climate Solutions
• Sustainable Business
• Green Living

UK tech tycoon among six missing after yacht sinks

British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter are among the six people missing after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of the Italian island of Sicily in the early hours of Monday morning.

The 56m (183ft) vessel was carrying 22 people including British, American and Canadian nationals. Fifteen people were rescued, including a one-year-old British girl, and authorities are continuing their search into the night.

Local media reported the yacht, named Bayesian, capsized at about 05:00 local time after encountering a heavy storm overnight that caused waterspouts, or rotating columns of air, to appear over the sea.

Mr Lynch, known by some as "the British Bill Gates", co-founded software company Autonomy, which was later bought by tech giant Hewlett-Packard for $11bn (£8.6bn).

Witnesses told Italian news agency Ansa that the Bayesian’s anchor was down when the storm struck, causing the mast to break and the ship to lose its balance and sink off the coast of village Porticello, near Sicilian capital Palermo.

A waterspout is similar to a tornado and can form over oceans, seas or large lakes.

Divers have identified a wreckage 50m below the water's surface and are searching for those missing.

The director general of Sicily's civil protection agency, Salvatore Cocina, told the BBC Mr Lynch, his daughter Hannah Lynch and the yacht's chef were among the missing.

He said the search, involving caving and rescue diving teams, would continue overnight.

The body of one man was found outside of the wreckage. His nationality has not been confirmed.

BBC Verify looked at corporate records and found the Bayesian's ownership is tied to Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares.

Sources close to the matter have confirmed to the BBC Ms Bacares has been rescued.

Fifteen people managed to get to safety after the storm hit.

Ansa news agency reported a 35-year-old mother held her one-year-old daughter in her arms in the sea .

The woman, named as locally as Charlotte Golunski, said: "For two seconds I lost the little girl in the sea, then I immediately hugged her again amidst the fury of the waves.

"I held her tightly, close to me, while the sea was stormy. Many were screaming.

"Luckily the lifeboat inflated and 11 of us managed to get on board."

The baby is fine and the mother was treated with stitches, the agency said.

She added she had been on the boat with her husband, who is also safe, and colleagues from a London company.

A doctor based at the Di Cristina Hospital in Palermo, where some of the survivors were taken, said they were "very tired" and "constantly asking about the missing people".

Dr Domenico Cipolla told Reuters news agency: "We have given the survivors this information, but they are talking and crying all the time because they have realised that there is little hope of finding their friends alive."

Survivors said the trip has been organised by Mr Lynch for his work colleagues.

In the initial aftermath, a nearby Dutch-flagged vessel rescued survivors from the waves, tending to them until emergency services arrived.

Captain Karsten Borner said after the storm had passed, the crew noticed that the yacht that had been behind them had disappeared.

"We saw a red flare, so my first mate and I went to the position, and we found this life raft drifting," he told Reuters.

That life raft was carrying 15 survivors, three of whom were "heavily injured", he said.

A local fisherman told Reuters news agency he had seen people being rescued by an inflatable boat dispatched from another yacht.

The captain of a local fishing trawler said he saw debris, including cushions from the deck, floating in the sea.

Footage from the wreckage site showed helicopters circling over several coastguard vessels as divers wearing bright orange descended into the water.

Eight of those rescued are receiving treatment in hospital, the Italian coastguard said.

The western half of the Mediterranean has experienced severe storms since the middle of last week.

Through Sunday night and into Monday morning, a clutch of bad weather passed by the north coast of Sicily.

BBC Weather forecaster Matt Taylor said: "A waterspout is a tornado that has occurred over water rather than land.

"They can form during intense storms, on the base of cumulonimbus/thunder clouds.

"Turbulence, and the wind blowing in slightly different directions around the cloud, can cause rotation under the base of the cloud and the spout to form.

"Like tornadoes, they bring powerful winds, but instead of picking up dust and debris they cause a water mist around the column of rotating air."

The UK Foreign Office said it is supporting a number of British nationals and their families following an incident in Sicily. Britain's Marine Accident Investigation Branch is also sending a team of inspectors to conduct a "preliminary assessment" into the sinking of the UK registered-boat.

The Bayesian's registered owner is listed as Revtom Ltd. The superyacht can accommodate up to 12 guests in six suites.

The yacht's name is understood to be based on the Bayesian theory, which Mr Lynch's PhD thesis was based on.

Mr Lynch's wife Ms Bacares is named as the sole legal owner of Revtom registered in the Isle of Man.

A spokesperson for Camper and Nicholsons International, the firm that manages the 2008-built boat, told BBC Verify: "Our priority is assisting with the ongoing search and providing all necessary support to the rescued passengers and crew."

Mr Lynch sold his company Autonomy to American computing giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011 for $11bn (£8.6bn).

But an intense legal battle following the high-profile acquisition loomed over Mr Lynch for over a decade. He was acquitted in the US in June on multiple fraud charges, for which he had been facing two decades in jail.

The sinking of the yacht came on the same day that Mr Lynch's co-defendant in the fraud case, Stephen Chamberlain, was confirmed by his lawyer as having died after being hit by a car in Cambridgeshire on Saturday.

How sinking of luxury yacht off Sicily unfolded

Who is british tech tycoon mike lynch, 'for two seconds i lost my baby in the sea' - sicily yacht survivor.

Additional reporting by BBC Verify's Joshua Cheetham

Who was onboard tech mogul Mike Lynch's Bayesian yacht?

Topic: Disasters, Accidents and Emergency Incidents

Six people are missing, including a man dubbed the British Bill Gates, after a luxury yacht sank off the Sicilian coast.

British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch — freshly acquitted from a decade-long trial — had invited his work colleagues aboard a trip through the Mediterranean coast when a freak storm saw the yacht sink within moments.

Fifteen people escaped from the sinking vessel. The search for the missing continues.

Here's what we know so far: 

What happened?

The Italian coastguard said the yacht — the Bayesian — was anchored off the shore of port city Porticello, near the Sicilian capital Palermo, when it was hit by bad weather sometime after 4am on Monday, local time. 

Eyewitnesses said it vanished quickly beneath the waves shortly before dawn.

Managers of the sailing vessel Bayesian, Camper & Nicholsons, confirmed to the ABC that the Bayesian encountered severe weather and subsequently sank. 

"Our priority is assisting with the ongoing search and providing all necessary support to the rescued passengers and crew," they said. 

"The wind was very strong. Bad weather was expected, but not of this magnitude," a coastguard official told Reuters.

Sicily's civil protection agency head, Salvo Cocina, said a waterspout — a tornado over the water — could have struck the yacht.

"They were in the wrong place at the wrong time," Mr Cocina added. 

Storms and heavy rainfall had swept down Italy in recent days after weeks of scorching heat, lifting the temperature of the Mediterranean Sea to record levels and raising the risk of extreme weather conditions, experts told Reuters.

"The sea surface temperature around Sicily was around 30 degrees Celsius, which is almost 3 degrees more than normal. This creates an enormous source of energy that contributes to these storms," meteorologist Luca Mercalli said.

Rescuers recover the body of one of the people aboard the Bayesian.  ( AP: Lucio Ganci )

Captain Karsten Borner of the Sir Robert Baden Powell vessel told journalists he noticed the Bayesian nearby during the storm, but after it calmed he saw a red flare and realised the ship had simply disappeared.

Mr Borner said he and a crew member boarded their tender and found a lifeboat with 15 people, some of them injured, who they then took aboard and alerted the coast guard.

Search crews, including helicopters and divers, are continuing to search the wreckage, lying at a depth of 49 metres.

Specialist divers reached the ship on Monday but access was limited due to objects in the way, the fire brigade said.

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch is deploying a team of four inspectors to Italy to conduct a preliminary assessment.

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development office said it was "providing consular support to a number of British nationals and their families".

Sicilian prosecutors have also opened an investigation into the event. 

Who is missing?

Lawyer Chris Morvillo (left), entrepreneur Mike Lynch, and Morgan Stanley chairman Jonathan Bloomer are among the missing. 

There were 12 passengers and 10 crew members aboard the yacht. 

Mr Cocina said the crew and passengers hailed from a variety of countries, including Britain, the United States, Antigua, France, Germany, Ireland, Myanmar, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain.

Of the 22, one man is confirmed dead and another six people are still missing. 

They are believed to be inside the hull, fire rescue spokesperson Luca Cari said.

Fabio Cefalù, a fisherman who said he responded to a flare from the vessel but found it sunk, said he stayed at the site for three hours without finding anyone.

"I think they are inside, all the missing people," he said.

Rescue teams recovered the body of the yacht's onboard chef on Monday, identified as Antiguan citizen Ricardo Thomas.

The still missing people include: 

• Mr Lynch's 18-year-old daughter, Hannah 
• Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of global financial services company Morgan Stanley International
• Chris Morvillo , a lawyer at the British multinational law firm Clifford Chance. He worked on Mr Lynch's lawsuit against Hewlett-Packard
• The identities of the remaining two missing are still unconfirmed

Who was rescued? 

Fifteen people escaped from the sinking ship. 

Eight have been hospitalised and others were taken to a nearby hotel.

Charlotte Golunski was among those rescued, recalling the harrowing moments she held her child Sofia above the waves.  ( Supplied: Facebook  )

Among those rescued were:

• Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, who was the owner of the yacht
• Charlotte Golunski and her one-year-old daughter, Sofia. Ms Golunski is a partner at Mr Lynch's firm, Invoke Capital. She says she momentarily lost hold of Sofia in the water but managed to hold her up above the waves until the lifeboat was inflated
• Ms Golunski's husband James Emslie
• New Zealand captain of the yacht James Catfield. He told Italian newspaper La Repubblica the crew didn't see the storm coming
• A lone Dutch citizen was identified by the Dutch foreign ministry as being rescued, but was not identified

Who is Mike Lynch?

Mr Lynch, once hailed as Britain’s king of technology, was recently freed from a Silicon Valley lawsuit that tarnished his legacy. 

The 59-year-old Cambridge-educated mathematician created Autonomy , a search engine that could pore through emails and other internal business documents to help companies find vital information more quickly. 

He received the OBE for his innovation in 2006. 

He then sold the software to Hewlett-Packard (HP) for $US11 billion ($16 billion) in 2011, with Mr Lynch personally netting $US800 million. 

HP valued Autonomy at $US46 billion ($68 billion) in the months leading up to the deal.

Mike Lynch in 2019 leaving the High Court in London.  ( Reuters: Henry Nicholls/File Photo )

But the deal quickly turned sour after he was accused of forging the software's financial records to make the sale.

As part of a decades-long legal battle against HP, Mr Lynch was extradited to the UK on criminal fraud charges. 

He steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he was being made a scapegoat for HP's own bungling. 

He was eventually cleared of all charges in June this year. 

Although he avoided a possible prison sentence, Lynch still faced a bill from a civil case in London that HP mostly won during 2022. Damages haven't been determined in that case, but HP is seeking $US4 billion. 

Following the San Francisco trial, Mr Lynch said he would return to the UK and do what he loved most: "[being with] my family and innovating in my field."

The holiday appeared to be something of a celebration after Mr Lynch's acquittal, with guests including some of the people who had stood by Lynch throughout the ordeal.

This picture shows the rescue operations off the Sicilian coast.  ( AP: Italian Coast Guard  )

In a separate act of tragedy, Mr Lynch's co-defendant in the trial, Stephen Chamberlain, died on Monday, after a road accident left him critically injured.

Mr Chamberlain — Autonomy's former vice-president of finance alongside Mr Lynch — was hit by a car in Cambridgeshire on Saturday morning and had been placed on life support. 

What is the Bayesian?

The luxury yacht is 56m long sailboat, with a 75m mast labelled as the tallest aluminium mast in the world.

It was previously named Salute when it flew under a Dutch flag.

The yacht, built in 2008 by the Italian firm Perini Navi, can accommodate up to 12 guests in six suites and a crew of 10, according to online specialist yacht sites. It was last refitted in 2020.

Online charter sites listed it for rent for up to 195,000 euros (about $AU 321,000) a week. 

This picture taken on Sunday shows the Bayesian (left) and the Duch sailboat Sir Robert Baden Powell anchored off the coast line.   ( AP: Fabio La Bianca/Baia Santa Nicolicchia )

The ship also won a string of awards for its design. 

Ms Golunski said the yacht had travelled through the Aeolian Islands, Milazzo and Cefalù before sinking. 

It is likely the yacht's name would resonate with Mr Lynch because his PhD thesis and the software that made his fortune was based on Bayesian theory.

Please use a modern browser to view this website. Some elements might not work as expected when using Internet Explorer.

• Landing Page
• Luxury Yacht Vacation Types
• Corporate Yacht Charter
• Tailor Made Vacations
• Luxury Exploration Vacations
• View All 3697
• Motor Yachts
• Sailing Yachts
• Classic Yachts
• Catamaran Yachts
• Filter By Destination
• More Filters
• Latest Reviews
• Charter Special Offers
• Destination Guides
• Inspiration & Features
• Mediterranean Charter Yachts
• France Charter Yachts
• Italy Charter Yachts
• Croatia Charter Yachts
• Greece Charter Yachts
• Turkey Charter Yachts
• Bahamas Charter Yachts
• Caribbean Charter Yachts
• Australia Charter Yachts
• Thailand Charter Yachts
• Dubai Charter Yachts
• Destination News
• New To Fleet
• Charter Fleet Updates
• Special Offers
• Industry News
• Yacht Shows
• Corporate Charter
• Finding a Yacht Broker
• Charter Preferences
• Questions & Answers
• Add my yacht

View More Photos

• Luxury Charter Yachts
• Motor Yachts for Charter

Persefoni I

• Amenities & Toys
• Rates & Regions
• + Shortlist

PERSEFONI I YACHT CHARTER

53.8m  /  176'6   admiral yachts   2012 / 2021.

• Previous Yacht

Special Features:

• Impressive 5,000nm range
• Interior design from LUCA DINI Design & Architecture
• Airy beach club
• Sleeps 12 guests
• Castoldi Jet Tender

Prepare for a charter vacation of lifetime aboard Admiral Yachts luxury yacht Persefoni I

The 53.8m/176'6" 'Persefoni I' motor yacht built by the Italian shipyard Admiral Yachts is available for charter for up to 12 guests in 6 cabins. This yacht features interior styling by Italian designer LUCA DINI Design & Architecture.

From bow to stern, Persefoni I is brimming with an fantastic array of social and dining areas, both inside and out, making her the ideal yacht for relaxing and entertaining whilst on charter.

Exterior Design

Her white mast is different to her sistership because it is vertical and not raked as on Sea Force One.

Guest Accommodation

Built in 2012, Persefoni I offers guest accommodation for up to 12 guests in 6 suites. She is also capable of carrying up to 11 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht charter experience.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

A charter on Persefoni I is comfortable and convenient thanks to the provided amenities including a beach club for you to relax on the edge of the water.

Persefoni I benefits from some excellent features to improve your charter including air conditioning to keep your comfortable throughout your charter.

Performance & Range

Persefoni I is built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure. Powered by twin Caterpillar engines, she comfortably cruises at 14 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 17 knots with a range of up to 5,000 nautical miles from her 150,000 litre fuel tanks at 12 knots. Persefoni I features at-anchor stabilizers providing exceptional comfort levels.

Equipped with a selection of water-toys Persefoni I lets you and your guests turn the Mediterranean into your own private playground. You'll be loving the huge adrenaline rush as you zip over the water on one of the two Yamaha VR Cruiser WaveRunners. In addition there are two F5S SEABOBs, offering a truly remarkable experience that lets you skim along the surface or swim with the fishes quietly and safely. Another excellent feature is a wakeboard so guests can show off at speed. If that isn't enough Persefoni I also features kayaks, fishing equipment, kneeboards and paddleboards. When it comes to Tenders, Persefoni I has you covered - with two tenders, including a Castoldi Jet Tender.

Based in the magical waters of the Mediterranean all year round Persefoni I is ready for your next luxury yacht charter. Let Persefoni I Discover the magical places, food and experiences of the the Mediterranean.

Showcasing meticulous craftsmanship coupled with high-end luxurious finishes, motor yacht Persefoni I certainly has the "wow" factor, along with state-of-the-art amenities and array of water toys, promising truly unforgettable yacht charters for even the most discerning guests.

TESTIMONIALS

There are currently no testimonials for Persefoni I, please provide .

Persefoni I Photos

Amenities & Entertainment

For your relaxation and entertainment Persefoni I has the following facilities, for more details please speak to your yacht charter broker.

Persefoni I is reported to be available to Charter with the following recreation facilities:

• 1 x Castoldi 23 Jet Tender
• 1 x Castoldi 14 Rescue Boat

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

Persefoni I Awards & Nominations

• The World Superyacht Awards 2013 Best Displacement Motor Yacht of 500GT to 1,299GT (approximately 50m – 59m) Finalist
• The ShowBoats Design Awards 2013 Interior Design Award: Displacement Motor Yachts 100′-199′ Finalist
• The ShowBoats Design Awards 2013 Exterior Design & Styling Award: Displacement Motor Yachts 100′-199′ Finalist
• The ShowBoats Design Awards 2013 Environmental Protection Award Finalist
• The ShowBoats Design Awards 2013 Holistic Design Award Finalist
• + shortlist

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

'Persefoni I' Charter Rates & Destinations

Summer Season

May - September

€249,000 p/week + expenses Approx $267,000

High Season

€299,000 p/week + expenses Approx $320,500

Cruising Regions

Mediterranean France, Greece, Italy, Monaco, Turkey

HOT SPOTS:   Amalfi Coast, Corsica, French Riviera, Mykonos, Sardinia

Winter Season

October - April

€199,000 p/week + expenses Approx $213,500

Mediterranean Greece, Turkey

HOT SPOTS:   Mykonos

Charter Persefoni I

To charter this luxury yacht contact your charter broker , or we can help you.

To charter this luxury yacht contact your charter broker or

Update your yacht

Yacht Owner, Captain or Central Agents - Send us latest Photos, Charter Rates or Corrections Send Updates

SIMILAR YACHTS FOR CHARTER

48m | Oceanfast

from $180,000 p/week ♦︎

Euphoria II

50m | Mayra Yachts

from $263,000 p/week ♦︎

59m | Benetti

from $311,000 p/week ♦︎

50m | Trinity Yachts

from $255,000 p/week

La Pellegrina

50m | Couach

from $247,000 p/week ♦︎

O'Neiro

53m | Golden Yachts

from $166,000 p/week ♦︎

55m | Rossinavi

from $300,000 p/week ♦︎

52m | Golden Yachts

from $177,000 p/week ♦︎

51m | Feadship

from $182,000 p/week

56m | Benetti

from $378,000 p/week ♦︎

55m | Heesen

from $350,000 p/week

55m | Amels

from $295,000 p/week

NOTE to U.S. Customs & Border Protection

Specification

SEASONAL CHARTER RATES

• Share on Facebook
• Share Yacht

SIMILAR LUXURY CHARTER YACHTS

Here are a selection of yachts which are similar to the current charter yacht. To view all similar luxury charter yachts click on the button below.

As Featured In

The YachtCharterFleet Difference

YachtCharterFleet makes it easy to find the yacht charter vacation that is right for you. We combine thousands of yacht listings with local destination information, sample itineraries and experiences to deliver the world's most comprehensive yacht charter website.

San Francisco

• Like us on Facebook
• Follow us on Twitter
• Follow us on Instagram
• Find us on LinkedIn
• Add My Yacht
• Affiliates & Partners

Popular Destinations & Events

• St Tropez Yacht Charter
• Monaco Yacht Charter
• St Barts Yacht Charter
• Greece Yacht Charter
• Mykonos Yacht Charter
• Caribbean Yacht Charter

Featured Charter Yachts

• Maltese Falcon Yacht Charter
• Wheels Yacht Charter
• Victorious Yacht Charter
• Andrea Yacht Charter
• Titania Yacht Charter
• Ahpo Yacht Charter

Receive our latest offers, trends and stories direct to your inbox.

Please enter a valid e-mail.

Thanks for subscribing.

Search for Yachts, Destinations, Events, News... everything related to Luxury Yachts for Charter.

Yachts in your shortlist