- Explorers locate five of the six missing individuals; Four deceased individuals have been identified.
Following the capsizing of the opulent yacht "Probability" off the Italian Mediterranean coast of Sicily, chances of survivors are essentially nil. On a Wednesday, the remains of five out of six presumed missing individuals were spotted by skilled divers within the yacht, submerged around 50 meters deep. Among them are two pairs who had been invited aboard by British magnate Mike Lynch, aged 59, and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah. It's highly probable that Lynch and his daughter met their end in their cabins situated on the lower deck.
Authorities confirmed the identities of four deceased victims in the evening. According to reports, Lynch and his daughter are believed to be still within their cabins on the lower deck, which are hard to access. Suspension of the search was mandatory due to nightfall. Earlier in the day itself, Italian broadcaster Rai and British news outlets claimed Lynch had been discovered.
The ship's chef became the first of the currently estimated seven casualties to be found floating in the water on a Monday. Thirty individuals managed to live through the catastrophe, which occurred barely 900 meters away from the shore.
The specific series of events remain unspecified. The injured captain of the "Probability" was interrogated by Italian law enforcement for several hours. "La Repubblica" reported his statement, "We didn't expect it." However, the account's sincerity is also being questioned.
The capsized ship is reported to have toppled onto the ocean floor, complicating the search for survivors. Additionally, a remotely-operated submersible was employed in the rescue mission.
The 56-meter "Probability" sank early Monday morning during a brutal storm in the vicinity of Porticello, not too far from Palermo – the island's capital – reportedly within 60 seconds.
Experts are still at a loss regarding the reason for this incident. Potential causes include an open hatch due to a rogue wave or a misaligned rudder setting controlling the ship's draft.
The 15-year-old luxury yacht had undergone an extensive makeover in 2020. It was fitted with a mechanism that could reduce its draft by half: under ordinary sailing conditions, its draft reached nearly ten meters when its movable rudder was fully extended, alleviating the force exerted by the 75-meter high mast. However, with this feature, its draft could be reduced to approximately four meters – for instance, to enter a harbor. This could have played a role in its demise.
Lynch is often labeled as "Britain's Bill Gates" by tabloid press from his home country. The tech entrepreneur sold his software company Autonomy to US conglomerate Hewlett-Packard in 2011 for $11 billion (now $9.94 billion). This acquisition is considered one of the worst in Silicon Valley's history.
Lynch and former finance manager Steve Chamberlain, who met his end in a car accident while running, had been charged with deceiving Hewlett-Packard about the company's financial status. However, a San Francisco jury absolved both men of the charges.
The luxurious yacht "Probability," belonging to tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, was reported to be the site of the tragic incident. Despite the extensive search efforts, the whereabouts of Lynch and his daughter remain within their cabin on the lower deck of the luxury yacht.
