Sicilian prosecutors said Saturday, they were investigating possible manslaughter after a superyacht sank, killing seven people, as it emerged that trapped passengers scrabbled for air pockets after it went down.

UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, four friends and the yacht's cook died when the British-flagged Bayesian sank in a storm before dawn on Monday.

"The Public Prosecutor's Office of Termini Imerese has registered a file with the state against unknown persons, hypothesising the crimes of negligent shipwreck and multiple negligent manslaughter," state prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio told reporters on the Italian island.

But he said he was only announcing the probe due to the huge international interest in the case, stressing: "We are only in the initial phase of the investigations.

"At this stage, precisely because the investigation could develop in any way, we are absolutely not ruling anything out."

Lynch, 59, had invited friends and family onto the boat to celebrate his recent acquittal in a massive US fraud case.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sicily-yacht-tragedy-last-missing-person-recovered-authorities-exploring-manslaughter-charges-752783">Also read |&nbsp;Sicily yacht tragedy: Last missing person recovered, authorities exploring manslaughter charges</a>

But the 56-metre (185-foot) yacht was struck by something akin to a mini-tornado before dawn on Monday as it was anchored off Porticello, near Palermo.

Fifteen people were rescued and the body of the yacht's chef was found shortly afterwards. Six passengers were reported missing.&nbsp;

A major search operation including specialist divers, subsequently identified the bodies of four of Lynch's friends on Wednesday.

Lynch's body was found on Thursday and that of his daughter, who had been preparing to go to Oxford University, on Friday.

<h2>Scrabbling for air&nbsp;</h2>

The bodies were found in two cabins on the side of the ship closest to the surface, and officials said they believed the trapped passengers had moved there in a bid to find pockets of air.

The ship sank by its stern, the back, and came to rest on its right side on the sea bed, some 50 metres down, Girolamo Bentivoglio Fiandra of the fire service said.

He told reporters the passengers inside "took refuge to seek safety in the cabins on the left side where somehow the last air bubbles formed".

"We found the first five bodies in the first cabin on the left side, and the last body in the third cabin on the left side," he said.

Bayesian's emergency flare had gone up at 4:38 am (0238 GMT) on Monday morning, and the coastguard immediately deployed -- but when they got there, it had already sunk.

<h2>Sudden, unexpected&nbsp;</h2>

Contrary to previous reports, Raffaele Macauda, from the Sicilian coastguard, said there had been no storm warning that night.

"It was a sudden and unexpected event," added Raffaele Cammarano, another state prosecutor.

The officials said the crew was free to leave Sicily during the investigation.

Information on whether the yacht's doors were open -- which might explain why it sank so fast -- would not be possible to confirm until the wreck was recovered, the officials said.

This could take weeks.

Lynch, once dubbed the British "Bill Gates", founded the software firm Autonomy in the 1990s. Its $11 billion sale to Hewlett-Packard in 2011 saw him face fraud charges in the United States.

Watch:&nbsp;Global warming behind Yacht disaster?

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A jury in San Francisco acquitted the 59-year-old and a co-defendant of all charges in June.

After Hannah's body was brought ashore on Friday, her family issued a statement describing their "unspeakable grief".

"The Lynch family is devastated, in shock, and is being comforted and supported by family and friends," it said.

US lawyer Chris Morvillo, a partner at top law firm Clifford Chance who worked on the US trial, also died along with his wife Neda.

The bodies of Jonathan Bloomer, the chair of Morgan Stanley International, and his wife Judy, were also found.

The chef was named in various media reports as Canadian-Antiguan Recaldo Thomas.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Sicilian prosecutors said Saturday, they were investigating possible manslaughter after a superyacht sank, killing seven people, as it emerged that trapped passengers scrabbled for air pockets after it went down.

Sicilian prosecutors said Saturday, they were investigating possible manslaughter after a superyacht sank, killing seven people, as it emerged that trapped passengers scrabbled for air pockets after it went down. UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, four friends and the yacht's cook died when the British-flagged Bayesian sank in a storm before dawn on Monday. "The Public Prosecutor's Office of Termini Imerese has registered a file with the state against unknown persons, hypothesising the crimes of negligent shipwreck and multiple negligent manslaughter," state prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio told reporters on the Italian island. But he said he was only announcing the probe due to the huge international interest in the case, stressing: "We are only in the initial phase of the investigations. "At this stage, precisely because the investigation could develop in any way, we are absolutely not ruling anything out." Lynch, 59, had invited friends and family onto the boat to celebrate his recent acquittal in a massive US fraud case. Also read | Sicily yacht tragedy: Last missing person recovered, authorities exploring manslaughter charges But the 56-metre (185-foot) yacht was struck by something akin to a mini-tornado before dawn on Monday as it was anchored off Porticello, near Palermo. Fifteen people were rescued and the body of the yacht's chef was found shortly afterwards. Six passengers were reported missing. A major search operation including specialist divers, subsequently identified the bodies of four of Lynch's friends on Wednesday. Lynch's body was found on Thursday and that of his daughter, who had been preparing to go to Oxford University, on Friday. Scrabbling for air The bodies were found in two cabins on the side of the ship closest to the surface, and officials said they believed the trapped passengers had moved there in a bid to find pockets of air. The ship sank by its stern, the back, and came to rest on its right side on the sea bed, some 50 metres down, Girolamo Bentivoglio Fiandra of the fire service said. He told reporters the passengers inside "took refuge to seek safety in the cabins on the left side where somehow the last air bubbles formed". "We found the first five bodies in the first cabin on the left side, and the last body in the third cabin on the left side," he said. Bayesian's emergency flare had gone up at 4:38 am (0238 GMT) on Monday morning, and the coastguard immediately deployed -- but when they got there, it had already sunk. Sudden, unexpected Contrary to previous reports, Raffaele Macauda, from the Sicilian coastguard, said there had been no storm warning that night. "It was a sudden and unexpected event," added Raffaele Cammarano, another state prosecutor. The officials said the crew was free to leave Sicily during the investigation. Information on whether the yacht's doors were open -- which might explain why it sank so fast -- would not be possible to confirm until the wreck was recovered, the officials said. This could take weeks. Lynch, once dubbed the British "Bill Gates", founded the software firm Autonomy in the 1990s. Its $11 billion sale to Hewlett-Packard in 2011 saw him face fraud charges in the United States. Watch: Global warming behind Yacht disaster? × A jury in San Francisco acquitted the 59-year-old and a co-defendant of all charges in June. After Hannah's body was brought ashore on Friday, her family issued a statement describing their "unspeakable grief". "The Lynch family is devastated, in shock, and is being comforted and supported by family and friends," it said. US lawyer Chris Morvillo, a partner at top law firm Clifford Chance who worked on the US trial, also died along with his wife Neda. The bodies of Jonathan Bloomer, the chair of Morgan Stanley International, and his wife Judy, were also found. The chef was named in various media reports as Canadian-Antiguan Recaldo Thomas. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Superyacht sinking: Sicily opens manslaughter probe as victims' last movements revealed

Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah are believed to be among the five dead bodies discovered after the luxury superyacht Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily on Monday (Aug 19), according to The Telegraph.

As many as 22 people were on the&nbsp;yacht when a freak storm hit the vessel&nbsp;while it was anchored just off the shore near the port of Porticello.

Salvo Cocina, the director of Sicily’s civil protection agency confirmed that the tech tycoon and daughter had been found.&nbsp;

“On behalf of myself and my colleagues, I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the families of the victims and express our condolences to them at this difficult time," said Cocina.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-superyacht-disaster-did-the-boat-sink-because-of-its-size-751787">Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas | Superyacht Disaster: Did the boat sink because of its size?</a>

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&nbsp;

<h2>Who is Mike Lynch?</h2>

Lynch, born on June 16, 1965, was an extremely popular business tycoon, once touted as the UK's answer to Microsoft founder Bill Gates.&nbsp;He founded the British tech firm Autonomy in 1996 and was also the driving force behind other successful tech firms.

He later established tech investment firm Invoke Capital, which invested in the creation of British cyber security company Darktrace in 2013. He was on the board of the company till early this year

A large portion of his wealth came from selling Autonomy to&nbsp;US computing giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) for $11 billion in 2011. However, the high-profile business deal was mired in controversy as the US prosecutors in 2018, charged him for&nbsp;artificially inflating the company's value.

They accused him of concealing the firm's loss-making business and of intimidating or paying off people who raised concerns.

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:88,&quot;y&quot;:258,&quot;w&quot;:660,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:121,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1947}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sicily-yacht-sinking-timeline-of-events-that-led-to-the-disaster-search-for-missing-continues-751967">Sicily yacht sinking: Timeline of events that led to the disaster; search for missing continues</a>

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:375,&quot;w&quot;:813,&quot;h&quot;:25,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2064}">Recovery operation for yacht underway</h2>

The yacht, as per reports, is largely intact and is resting on the seabed 50 metres below. A complex recovery operation is underway to salvage it.

Passengers on the Bayesian were celebrating Lynch's recent acquittal in a significant US fraud case. The tech mogul&nbsp;was cleared of all charges related to the selling of his software company to HP.&nbsp;

The suddenness of the yacht's sinking and the fact that other nearby vessels were unaffected have raised questions. Italian authorities, as per local media reports, have launched an investigation, interviewing survivors, including the yacht's captain, James Cutfield, a 51-year-old New Zealander.

According to reports, Cutfield, originally from New Zealand, was questioned by the prosecutors&nbsp;from the Termini Imerese public prosecutor’s office for two hours on Wednesday.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah are believed to be among the five dead bodies discovered after the luxury superyacht Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily on Monday (Aug 19), according to The Telegraph.

Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah are believed to be among the five dead bodies discovered after the luxury superyacht Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily on Monday (Aug 19), according to The Telegraph. As many as 22 people were on the yacht when a freak storm hit the vessel while it was anchored just off the shore near the port of Porticello. Salvo Cocina, the director of Sicily’s civil protection agency confirmed that the tech tycoon and daughter had been found. “On behalf of myself and my colleagues, I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the families of the victims and express our condolences to them at this difficult time," said Cocina. Watch | Gravitas | Superyacht Disaster: Did the boat sink because of its size? × Who is Mike Lynch? Lynch, born on June 16, 1965, was an extremely popular business tycoon, once touted as the UK's answer to Microsoft founder Bill Gates. He founded the British tech firm Autonomy in 1996 and was also the driving force behind other successful tech firms. He later established tech investment firm Invoke Capital, which invested in the creation of British cyber security company Darktrace in 2013. He was on the board of the company till early this year A large portion of his wealth came from selling Autonomy to US computing giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) for $11 billion in 2011. However, the high-profile business deal was mired in controversy as the US prosecutors in 2018, charged him for artificially inflating the company's value. They accused him of concealing the firm's loss-making business and of intimidating or paying off people who raised concerns. Also read | Sicily yacht sinking: Timeline of events that led to the disaster; search for missing continues Recovery operation for yacht underway The yacht, as per reports, is largely intact and is resting on the seabed 50 metres below. A complex recovery operation is underway to salvage it. Passengers on the Bayesian were celebrating Lynch's recent acquittal in a significant US fraud case. The tech mogul was cleared of all charges related to the selling of his software company to HP. The suddenness of the yacht's sinking and the fact that other nearby vessels were unaffected have raised questions. Italian authorities, as per local media reports, have launched an investigation, interviewing survivors, including the yacht's captain, James Cutfield, a 51-year-old New Zealander. According to reports, Cutfield, originally from New Zealand, was questioned by the prosecutors from the Termini Imerese public prosecutor’s office for two hours on Wednesday. (With inputs from agencies)

Sicily superyacht tragedy: 'UK's Bill Gates' Mike Lynch and daughter confirmed dead - Report

The search for six missing individuals following the tragic sinking of the super yacht Bayesian off Sicily on Wednesday (August 21) led to the discovery of five bodies, according to sources close to the search efforts.

With this, the death toll from the disaster has risen. Previously, shortly after the vessel sank on Monday (August 19), the body of a man, believed to be the yacht's chef, was recovered. 
 
Four bodies were brought to shore&nbsp;from the wreckage of the luxury yacht, while a fifth body has also been found inside the boat, according to a BBC report.

Officials refused to identify the bodies, since&nbsp;Italian law stipulates that the bodies must be formally identified by a family member, or someone close to the victim, before the deaths can be officially certified.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:116,&quot;w&quot;:813,&quot;h&quot;:25,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1805}">Information about those confirmed dead</h2>

The yacht 'Bayesian', a 56-metre British-flagged vessel, sank within minutes after being struck by a waterspout during a pre-dawn storm while anchored 700 metres off Porticello.

Rescue teams&nbsp;managed to save 15 people, including UK tech mogul Mike Lynch's wife and a woman with her one-year-old baby, soon after the tragic sinking.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:88,&quot;y&quot;:258,&quot;w&quot;:660,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:121,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1947}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sicily-yacht-sinking-timeline-of-events-that-led-to-the-disaster-search-for-missing-continues-751967">Sicily yacht sinking: Timeline of events that led to the disaster; search for missing continues</a>

However, the tech millionaire, his teenage daughter Hannah, Lynch's lawyer Christopher Morvillo and his wife Neda, and Jonathan Bloomer, the chair of Morgan Stanley International, and his wife Judy were missing.

As per an AFP report, there is no immediate information about whom the newly recovered bodies belonged to.&nbsp;

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:375,&quot;w&quot;:813,&quot;h&quot;:25,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2064}">Recovery operation for yacht underway</h2>

The yacht, as per reports, is largely intact and is resting on the seabed 50 metres below. A complex recovery operation is underway to salvage it.

Passengers on the Bayesian were celebrating Lynch's recent acquittal in a significant US fraud case. The tech mogul, sometimes referred to as "Britain’s Bill Gates," was cleared of all charges related to an $11 billion fraud accusation tied to the sale of his software firm, Autonomy, to Hewlett-Packard, in June.

The luxury vessel was moored off Porticello, east of Palermo, when violent winds and rains suddenly swept up the coast.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sicily-yacht-sinking-vessels-cook-declared-dead-six-still-missing-search-ops-on-751793">Sicily yacht sinking: Vessel’s cook declared dead, six still missing; search ops on</a>

Speaking to the ANSA news agency, survivor Charlotte Golunski recalled the incident. "It was terrible. The boat was hit by really strong winds, and shortly after it went down," she said.

The suddenness of the yacht's sinking and the fact that other nearby vessels were unaffected have raised questions. Italian authorities, as per local media reports, have launched an investigation, interviewing survivors, including the yacht's captain, James Cutfield, a 51-year-old New Zealander.

Experts describe the incident as highly unusual.&nbsp;

Speaking to AFP, Matthew Schanck, from the Maritime Search and Rescue Council, said it was "pretty unprecedented", and a "black swan event".

The search for six missing individuals following the tragic sinking of the super yacht Bayesian off Sicily on Wednesday (August 21) led to the discovery of five bodies, according to sources close to the search efforts.

The search for six missing individuals following the tragic sinking of the super yacht Bayesian off Sicily on Wednesday (August 21) led to the discovery of five bodies, according to sources close to the search efforts. With this, the death toll from the disaster has risen. Previously, shortly after the vessel sank on Monday (August 19), the body of a man, believed to be the yacht's chef, was recovered. Four bodies were brought to shore from the wreckage of the luxury yacht, while a fifth body has also been found inside the boat, according to a BBC report. Officials refused to identify the bodies, since Italian law stipulates that the bodies must be formally identified by a family member, or someone close to the victim, before the deaths can be officially certified. Information about those confirmed dead The yacht 'Bayesian', a 56-metre British-flagged vessel, sank within minutes after being struck by a waterspout during a pre-dawn storm while anchored 700 metres off Porticello. Rescue teams managed to save 15 people, including UK tech mogul Mike Lynch's wife and a woman with her one-year-old baby, soon after the tragic sinking. Also read | Sicily yacht sinking: Timeline of events that led to the disaster; search for missing continues However, the tech millionaire, his teenage daughter Hannah, Lynch's lawyer Christopher Morvillo and his wife Neda, and Jonathan Bloomer, the chair of Morgan Stanley International, and his wife Judy were missing. As per an AFP report, there is no immediate information about whom the newly recovered bodies belonged to. Recovery operation for yacht underway The yacht, as per reports, is largely intact and is resting on the seabed 50 metres below. A complex recovery operation is underway to salvage it. Passengers on the Bayesian were celebrating Lynch's recent acquittal in a significant US fraud case. The tech mogul, sometimes referred to as "Britain’s Bill Gates," was cleared of all charges related to an $11 billion fraud accusation tied to the sale of his software firm, Autonomy, to Hewlett-Packard, in June. The luxury vessel was moored off Porticello, east of Palermo, when violent winds and rains suddenly swept up the coast. Also read | Sicily yacht sinking: Vessel’s cook declared dead, six still missing; search ops on Speaking to the ANSA news agency, survivor Charlotte Golunski recalled the incident. "It was terrible. The boat was hit by really strong winds, and shortly after it went down," she said. The suddenness of the yacht's sinking and the fact that other nearby vessels were unaffected have raised questions. Italian authorities, as per local media reports, have launched an investigation, interviewing survivors, including the yacht's captain, James Cutfield, a 51-year-old New Zealander. Experts describe the incident as highly unusual. Speaking to AFP, Matthew Schanck, from the Maritime Search and Rescue Council, said it was "pretty unprecedented", and a "black swan event".

Death toll rises in Sicily 'Bayesian' superyacht tragedy, five more bodies found; one missing

Did the superyacht in Italy sink because it was so enormous in size? Of the 22 people on board, 6 remain missing. Eye-witnesses have a scary story to tell.

Gravitas | Superyacht Disaster: Did the boat sink because of its size?