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Sicily yacht latest: Britons join search for missing tycoon Mike Lynch and Morgan Stanley’s Jonathan Bloomer

One man has died while four Britons and child are reportedly among missing after boat hits whirlwind off Palermo

Coastguard searches for missing after British-flagged yacht capsizes in tornado off Italy

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch said they were being deployed to Sicily’s waters for a preliminary assessment of the sinking of Mike Lynch’s yacht, while cave divers have joined the search for the missing.

An unexpected violent storm sank the British-flagged “Bayesian” near the port of Porticello in the early hours of Monday.

At least one person has been confirmed dead and six are missing from the yacht carrying 22 people. The others were rescued by a passing sailboat.

Salvatore Cocina, head of the civil protection agency in Sicily, said Morgan Stanley’s Jonathan Bloomer and Chris Morvillo, a lawyer at British law firm Clifford Chance who had been representing Mr Lynch, were among the missing.

Mr Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, was one of the 15 people rescued. Eight survivors were taken to hospital, including a one-year-old baby.

Mr Lynch had reportedly invited his lawyers and friends to celebrate a recent legal victory that cleared him of fraud accusations in the US.

Have you been affected by this story? Email rachel.hagan@independent.co.uk

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Captain speaks for first time from hospital bed with just five words

James Catfield, the captain of the yacht who is recovering at the Termini Imerese hospital has spoken to Italian media for the first time.

La Repubblica quotes just one sentence from Mr Catfield: “We didn’t see it coming.”

Rachel Hagan20 August 2024 09:47
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Jonathan Bloomer’s wife among the missing

Tribute has been paid to Jonathan Bloomer, who is believed to be among the missing, from the insurer Hiscox that Mr Bloomer chairs.

Its CEO has confirmed that Bloomer and his wife Judy are among those still missing this morning.

Aki Hussain, Group Chief Executive Officer, Hiscox, said in a statement to The Independent: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by this tragic event. Our thoughts are with all those affected, in particular our Chair, Jonathan Bloomer, and his wife Judy, who are among the missing, and with their family as they await further news from this terrible situation.”

Jonathan Bloomer in 2002
Jonathan Bloomer in 2002 (Getty Images)
Rachel Hagan20 August 2024 09:25
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Yacht ‘practically intact’ on seabed, says diver

The luxury superyacht is “practically intact” on the seabed despite sinking, Marco Tilotta, a firefighter diver from Palermo, has told Italian newspaper Il Messaggero.

He said in an interview that the £30 million yacht was lying on its side at a depth of 48 metres, but that divers were unable to gain access because of floating furnishings and other debris inside the yacht.

He said: “When we went down to the water around 5:30 a.m., we found a yacht that was practically intact. It is resting on its side on the starboard side. It has no gashes, no signs of impact.’’

Italian scubadivers prepare to sail towards the yacht
Italian scubadivers prepare to sail towards the yacht (AP)
Rachel Hagan20 August 2024 09:11
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Marine Accident Investigation Branch send four British inspectors to examine wreck

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch said four inspectors had been sent to Sicily to conduct a “preliminary assessment,” Reuters reported.

One expert at the scene who declined to be named said an early focus of the investigation would be whether the yacht’s crew had had time to close access hatches into the vessel before the storm struck.

Barney Davis20 August 2024 09:04
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Captain describes lifting baby out of water as search continues for missing six

The nearby captain of a Dutch-flagged vessel told the Reuters news agency that when the winds surged, he used the engine to keep his boat upright and avoid a collision with the Bayesian, which had been anchored alongside him.

“We managed to keep the ship in position and after the storm was over, we noticed that the ship behind us was gone,” Karsten Borner told journalists.

The other boat “went flat on the water, and then down”, he added.

He said his crew then found some of the survivors on a life raft - including a baby girl and her mother - and took them on board before the coast guard picked them up.

He added: “I think they are inside, all the missing people.”

One of the survivors, British tourist Charlotte Emsley, told la Republica: “I held her afloat with all my strength, my arms stretched upwards to keep her from drowning.

The daily Il Giornale di Sicilia newspaper reported that the vessel had mostly British passengers on board, but also people from New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland and British-French citizens.

Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International and Chris Morvillo, a lawyer at Clifford Chance who represented Lynch in a long-standing trial in the U.S., were among the missing.

The wives of both men were also unaccounted for, said Salvatore Cocina, head of Civil Protection in Sicily.

(REUTERS)
Barney Davis20 August 2024 08:45
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‘God on our side’ Gemma Collins describes horror storm that capsized Bayesian

Reality star Gemma Collins has revealed that she and her nephew were “lucky to have survived” in a small boat rocked by the same horror storm that capsized Mike Lynch’s yacht off the coast of Sicily.

Mike Lynch, dubbed as Britain’s Bill Gates, is still missing presumed dead alongside his daughter, Hannah, 18, who had just completed her A-levels and was to read English at Oxford.

The Only Way is Essex star reassured her followers that she and 15-year-old nephew Hayden were both fine with an Instagram post featuring her posing on a yacht in the Mediterranean.

She wrote: “Holiday update. My heartfelt condolences to the people and families involved in the tragic disaster at sea in Sicily.”

“I was very lucky me and my nephew to have survived the storm at sea. I am shaken and returning to the UK tomorrow, god was on our side today. We was stuck for 4 hours can you imagine what was going through my mind. Thank you @bluediamondcruise for getting us back safely.”

Barney Davis20 August 2024 08:32
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Tragic final LinkedIn post from top lawyer still missing from superyacht

Still missing is Christopher Morvillo, a top lawyer who has worked on high-profile corruption cases, including Mike Lynch’s recent trial.

The lawyer at the US branch of Clifford Chance and his wife Neda have not been seen since the Bayesian foundered off Palermo Monday morning after being caught in bad weather.

He also worked on the criminal investigation surrounding the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, as an assistant US attorney for the southern district of New York from 1999 to 2005.

In a tragic final LinkedIn post Mr Morvillo thanked all the legal minds that had helped Mr Lynch win the fraud trial in June after a mammoth 10-year court battle. Signing off, he said: “And, finally, a huge thank you to my patient and incredible wife, Neda Morvillo, and my two strong, brilliant, and beautiful daughters, Sabrina Morvillo and Sophia Morvillo. None of this would have been possible without your love and support. I am so glad to be home. “And they all lived happily ever after….”

Barney Davis20 August 2024 08:15
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Missing British tech tycoon Mike Lynch’s co-defendant in US fraud trial dies in car crash

Missing tech tycoon Mike Lynch’s co-defendant in US fraud trial dies in car crash

Stephen Chamberlain was cleared of the same fraud charges as Mike Lynch, who is now missing in Sicily

Jabed Ahmed20 August 2024 08:00
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Hunt continues for Lynch and colleagues invited on yacht to celebrate 10-year legal victory

Mike Lynch, the 59-year-old entrepreneur, dubbed The UK’s Bill Gates, is still missing and presumed dead along with his daughter, Hannah, 18, after his superyacht capsized off the coast of Italy.

He had invited colleagues aboard the Bayesian to celebrate his victory in a decade-long US fraud trial which ended in June.

Mike Lynch
Mike Lynch (Yui Mok/PA Wire)

Jonathan Bloomer, 70, chairman of Morgan Stanley International, was also missing alongside his wife Anne and two others.

Yesterday divers recovered the body of the yacht’s cook, while 15 people including Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued.

Jonathan Bloomer, 70, chairman of Morgan Stanley International, was also missing alongside his wife Anne and two others.
Jonathan Bloomer, 70, chairman of Morgan Stanley International, was also missing alongside his wife Anne and two others. (Getty Images)

Also missing is Chris Morvillo, an attorney at British law firm Clifford Chance, The Times reported last night.

Ayla Reynold, a New Zealand national working at Clifford Chance, survived the ordeal. Her father Lin Ronald confirmed to the Telegraph she had been invited aboard as thanks for assistance in Mr Lynch’s recent court case.

“I have texted my daughter and she hasn’t given me any updates about missing personnel or saved personnel. She has only said that there are deaths and she and her partner are alive,” he said.

Barney Davis20 August 2024 07:51
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British mother rescues her baby from waters after superyacht capsizes off Italian coast

British mother rescues her baby from waters after yacht capsizes off Italian coast

Mother Charlotte said she tried to scream for help but could only hear the screams of others as she saved her daughter

Jabed Ahmed20 August 2024 07:30

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