Detectives have launched a manslaughter investigation into the deaths of British billionaire Mike Lynch, his teenage daughter Hannah and seven other passengers on a luxury yacht.
Italian prosecutors have launched an investigation following the tragedy off the coast of Sicily, when the Bayesian superyacht sank near Porticello at around 5am local time on Monday, and six bodies were recovered.
The superyacht capsized in rough weather on Monday morning amid reports of a sudden plume of water, and Italian authorities are now “investigating a shipwreck and multiple charges of negligence resulting in death” following the sinking superyacht incident.
Ambrogio Cartosio, the prosecutor in the nearby town of Termini Imerese, said at a news conference at the town’s courthouse on Saturday that his office had opened an initial investigation into manslaughter, according to a translation. He added that they were also investigating unidentified people.
The Termini Imerese prosecutor’s office, headed by Ambrogio Cartosio, is investigating what caused the luxury cruise liner to capsize off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo, and Palermo Today reported that investigators will also be examining footage and photos from residential buildings and CCTV cameras near the scene.
Prosecutors earlier interviewed the yacht’s captain, James Cutfield, 53, who was reportedly questioned at length about what happened on the day of the attack, which he said happened “within minutes”.
Also rescued from the wreckage were Morgan Stanley International Bank Chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy Bloomer, and Clifford Chance Bank attorney Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda Morvillo.
Sicily’s top prosecutor outlined procedures for recovering the bodies of six people missing after the yacht sank, calling the incident a “tragedy of great importance.”
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio said, translated by the BBC: “These six people, who desperately tried to rescue themselves, have finally been rescued.”
“First, four people – banker Jonathan Bloomer, lawyer Christopher Morvillo – all four were rescued from the yacht, which was at a depth of 50 metres. The other two were later rescued.”
“Michael Lynch died yesterday, the 23rd, and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah was subsequently discovered yesterday morning.
“This is a very significant tragedy and to help reduce the scale of the tragedy we requested the assistance of firefighters and fire divers. They showed incredible courage and skill, performed a very difficult task and allowed us to properly examine the remains at the wreckage.
