British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, often referred to as “Britain’s Bill Gates,” has been confirmed as one of the missing persons following the sinking of a luxury yacht off the coast of Sicily.
Lynch was aboard the Bayesian, a 160-foot yacht, when it was struck by a freak tornado near Sicily on Monday morning.
Out of the 22 people on board, 15 have been rescued, and one casualty has been confirmed.
The search continues for Lynch, along with two Americans, four Britons, and a Canadian who are still missing.
According to reports, Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, was among those rescued.
The Bayesian is linked to Bacares through Revtom, the company that owns the yacht, with Bacares listed as its sole legal owner.
Search operations are ongoing with the help of divers, multiple vessels, and a helicopter, focusing on an area approximately 12 miles from Palermo.
The yacht, valued at around $18 million, has sunk completely and now lies over 164 feet below the surface.
Among the rescued, a one-year-old child has been taken to Palermo’s children’s hospital.
The child’s mother recounted a harrowing experience during the storm, describing how she held her daughter tightly as the tempest raged around them.
Mike Lynch, the founder of the software company Autonomy, gained prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s for his work in data analytics.
The company was acquired by HP in 2011 for $11.7 billion, but the acquisition was marred by controversy over alleged financial misstatements, which Lynch has consistently denied.
As the search for Lynch and other missing individuals continues, authorities and rescue teams remain hopeful for positive developments.
