The first post-mortem examinations on two victims of the capsized superyacht “Bayesian,” owned by British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, have confirmed drowning as the cause of death, Sky News reports.
Chris Morvillo, a US lawyer who was part of Lynch’s legal team in a fraud case, and his wife Neda were the first victims to undergo the autopsies.
The luxury yacht capsized off the coast of Sicily, Italy, in the early hours of August 19 after being struck by a sudden, violent storm. Seven people perished in the tragedy.
Lynch, who co-founded Autonomy, was acquitted in June of fraud charges stemming from the 2011 sale of Autonomy to Hewlett Packard in an $11 billion (£8.3 billion) deal. He had organized the yacht trip to celebrate his legal victory.
The bodies of six victims, including Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, and passengers Jonathan and Judy Bloomer, were discovered within the wreckage during a five-day search operation. The yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas, was found dead near the boat the day after the disaster.
Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, and 14 other passengers survived the sinking.
The autopsies were conducted by coroners designated by Palermo prosecutors, who have confirmed the results. Further autopsies are scheduled for Wednesday on the bodies of Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley’s London-based investment banking subsidiary, and his wife Judy. Autopsies are pending for Lynch, his daughter, and Thomas.
Prosecutors are currently investigating the captain and two crew members for potential responsibility in connection with the sinking.
Meanwhile, Hewlett Packard has announced that it will continue with legal proceedings against Lynch’s estate in the UK, seeking up to £3 billion in damages.
