- Live Reporting (active)
Summary
The body of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch has been recovered from the Bayesian yacht off the coast of Sicily, a source close to the family says
The search is continuing for one person who's still missing - it's believed it is Mike's 18-year-old daughter, Hannah
Five bodies have been brought ashore but they have not been formally identified
One body - that of Recaldo Thomas, the yacht's chef - was recovered from the sea on Monday
In total, 15 people survived, with six bodies recovered, and one person still missing
Live Reporting
Edited by Johanna Chisholm and Sophie Abdulla
Six key takeaways from day four of the searchpublished at 20:20 British Summer Time 22 August
20:20 BST 22 August
Image source, PA MediaThe fourth day of search operations has come to a close in the coastal town of Porticello, and divers deployed to the scene have yet to recover the last missing person from a yacht that sank on Monday morning.
Here's a brief summary of what we learned throughout the day:
- The body of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch has been recovered from the Bayesian yacht off the coast of Sicily, a source close to the family has told the BBC
- The person still missing is believed to be Mike’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, Reuters news agency reported
- No formal identification of the bodies has been announced by the Italian authorities
- An investigation is underway by Italian authorities, with captain James Cutfield reportedly being questioned by authorities yesterday for two hours, as they began speaking to all crew members
- The trip has been described as a "celebratory cruise" that came after Lynch was cleared of fraud charges in June. The BBC were told his "key team" were travelling on board
We're going to be pausing our coverage for the day, but you can read the latest here.
This page was written by Pia Harold, Cachella Smith, Matt Spivey, Rachel Flynn and James Harness and was edited by Marita Moloney, Nadia Ragozhina, Sophie Abdulla and Johanna Chisholm.
In pictures: A fourth day of search operationspublished at 19:41 British Summer Time 22 August
19:41 BST 22 August
Image source, ReutersImage source, PA MediaImage source, PA MediaA 'warm and wonderful smile' that will be 'impossible' to forget - Countess of Eustonpublished at 19:03 British Summer Time 22 August
19:03 BST 22 August
Mike Lynch OBE was one of Suffolk's "most inspirational citizens", the Countess of Euston says in one of the latest tributes to the UK businessman.
Clare, Countess of Euston, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk says in a statement that Lynch "was quite simply a genius", adding that he was a "global leader in his field".
"A kind and compassionate man who was always ready to help, hugely generous, the best of friends, but it will be his warm and wonderful smile that will be impossible for me to forget," she continues.
"Mike was an exemplary Deputy Lieutenant of Suffolk serving both our late Queen Elizabeth II and our present King Charles III."
She goes on to send her condolences to Lynch's wife and wider family.
From a celebratory excursion to a devastating tragedypublished at 18:38 British Summer Time 22 August
18:38 BST 22 August
Theo Leggett
BBC International Business CorrespondentMike Lynch was a star of the British tech sector who - as we've mentioned in previous posts - attracted comparisons to Microsoft founder Bill Gates.
But he also suffereda sudden and dramatic fall from grace.
In 1996, he established Autonomy, a company which builtsoftware to help businesses manage and sift through data. In 2011, it wasbought by the US giant Hewlett-Packard in a deal that valued the business at $11bn (£8.6bn).
That made Lynch a very rich man.
But it rapidly turnedsour. Little more than a year later, HP said it had found evidence ofaccounting "irregularities" at Autonomy that had been used to make it appear amuch more attractive prospect financially.
This led to a decade of legal wrangling and last year, Lynch was extradited to the US to face criminal fraud charges. He was acquittedin June.
The excursion aboard the Bayesian was meant to be acelebration of that victory. It ended in tragedy.
Lynch 'a pioneer in artificial intelligence'published at 18:16 British Summer Time 22 August
18:16 BST 22 August
Image source, ReutersMore tributes are continuing to be shared about British entrepreneur Mike Lynch.
The head of Luminance, a technology company where Lynch was a founding investor, says he was "one of the brightest minds the technology sector has ever seen" and a "pioneer in artificial intelligence".
Quote Message
See Also10-Day Weather Forecast for Wichita, KS - The Weather Channel | weather.comHistoric Met Office figures included in 2024/25 storm names10-Day Weather Forecast for Topeka, KS - The Weather Channel | weather.com10-Day Weather Forecast for Kansas City, KS - The Weather Channel | weather.comAbove all, Mike was a kind man who had an impact on many and will be sorely missed. I feel honoured to have known him, worked with him and learnt from him over the years."
Eleanor Lightbody, CEO of Luminance
Judy Bloomer: Teacher, wife and 'wonderful friend'published at 17:49 British Summer Time 22 August
17:49 BST 22 August
Some more details about Judy Bloomer, who - alongside her husband of five decades - went missing from Bayesian earlier this week.
Bloomer was educated at Homerton College, University of Cambridge, where she studied English language and literature. After that, she embarked on a career as a teacher.
She later worked as a psychotherapist for nearly 30 years, specialising in anxiety and stress.
She was also a former director of property developer Change Real Estate, a property firm in Bristol, which was founded by her husband, Jonathan Bloomer.
Sally Bailey, a former chairwoman of charity Pilot Light, wrote that Judy was a "wonderful friend" to the gynaecological cancer research charity the Eve Appeal. She was a "kind and caring person," she added.
In a statement from the Bloomer family, they described the couple as "incredible people and an inspiration to many".
"Our only comfort is that they are still together now."
Image source, PA MediaBloomer 'a friend and mentor to many'published at 17:25 British Summer Time 22 August
17:25 BST 22 August
Image source, Hiscox/PATributes continue to be paid to Jonathan Bloomer. The chief executive of Morgan Stanley, where Bloomer was international chairman, says that "Jonathan's leadership and experience helped the firm manage a period of complex change for our international businesses".
Ted Pick describes him as a "friend and mentor to many", adding: "We will all greatly miss his wise counsel and spirit of kindness."
Meanwhile, Aki Hussain, chief executive of insurance group Hiscox, says Bloomer's advice and support were "immensely valuable".
"It was a privilege to have known Jonathan and to have benefited from his generosity and wisdom over the last year in his role as chair of Hiscox," Hussain adds.
"His deep experience across our industry and in the broader business arena, combined with his personal values, made him both an excellent chair and a person I was proud to know and work with."
Elsewhere Bloomer is described as a "giant in financial services" by investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown.
The group says: "We remember him fondly at Hargreaves Lansdown as someone who made a major impact on the business with his wealth of experience when he served on the board from 2006-2013 including as our senior independent director."
Mike Lynch 'was the Steve Jobs of Britain'published at 17:15 British Summer Time 22 August
17:15 BST 22 August
Let's bring you a few more tributes to the victims of the Bayesian shipwreck.
First, David Tabizel has been speaking about Mike Lynch, who he says was "a human supercomputer" who "loved having his brain lit up".
Tabizel co-founded Autonomy with Lynch, and tells the BBC it's a tragedy Mike Lynch died "just when he was about to reclaim his status and his position in society", who had been subjected to "an unjust legal interruption".
"It feels a bit like the Post Office scandal... Just because a group of people are being accused doesn't mean they are guilty."
Tabizel praises Lynch's loyalty to his friends, describing the businessman as a great polymath with an inquisitive mind.
Mike Lynch had "an amazing gift to get to the nub of things, to get to the truth... he was a child. At the same time, he was a moral giant... he was certainly the brightest person I've ever met.
"To me he's the Steve Jobs of Britain. I miss him. I loved him."
Many factors could've played a role in yacht disasterpublished at 16:55 British Summer Time 22 August
16:55 BST 22 August
Mark Lowen
Reporting from PorticelloWhile we wait for the sixth missing person to befound, the investigation goes on.
The focus now is on whether human error wasto blame. From the captain and the crew not taking measures onboard the yachtto mitigate the extreme weather and storm alert that had been issued beforethat terrible tragedy on Monday morning.
Thewheels of justice move very slowly here in Italy. But there will be pressure onthe investigators to wrap this up.
These are high profile victims - so therewill be a lot of legal implications.
We know the investigators spoke to thecaptain, who survived, for two hours yesterday. He's 51 and from NewZealand.
Part of the focus is on whether there werestorage compartments left open, allowing water to flood into the boat. And also on whythere was no crew team on alert overnight when the storm happened, particularly given thefact there was a weather alert.
Another question: why was the yacht not harboured at port if the stormalert was out?
A ship surveyor told me yesterday thereshould have been a two-man watch team on board overnight.
The feeling is that there was a combination of factorsthat made the conditions ripe for this kind of disaster to happen.
No news conferences planned yetpublished at 16:39 British Summer Time 22 August
16:39 BST 22 August
Gillian Hazell
Reporting from PorticelloLet's return briefly to the operation that's still running on the ground in Porticello.
Carlo Dall'Oppio, head of Italy's firefighters, has told the BBCthere are no news conferences planned at present, and that the last body hasnot been found yet.
He said it was up to the coroner to announce thenames of those who have died after identification.
As we've been reporting, according to Italian law, officials are not allowed to share the names of the deceased until formal identification has concluded.
Family of Jonathan and Judy Bloomer pay tributepublished at 16:28 British Summer Time 22 August
16:28 BST 22 August
Image source, PA/family handoutWe're also been hearing from the family of Jonathan and Judy Bloomer - both of whom were confirmed as missing following the yacht sinking earlier this week.
Jonathan is the chairman of the Morgan Stanley International bank, he also gave evidence as a defence witness in Mike Lynch's US trial which saw him cleared of fraud charges in June.
The yacht trip has been described as a celebration following the trial's verdict.
In a statement, the couple's family express "sincere gratitude" to emergency services and all those who helped with the rescue operation.
"Our parents were incredible people and an inspiration to many, but first and foremost they were focused on and loved their family and spending time with their new grandchildren," the statement continues.
"Together for five decades, our only comfort is that they are still together now.
"This is an unimaginable grief to shoulder. Our only ask is that our family's privacy is respected at this time."
Mike Lynch had 'most brilliant mind' says close friendpublished at 16:14 British Summer Time 22 August
16:14 BST 22 August
A close friend and colleague of Mike Lynch says he was "the most brilliant mind and the most caring person" he has ever known, in a statement released to the BBC in the last half an hour.
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Over nearly a quarter century I had the privilege of working beside someone unrivalled in their understanding of technology and business.
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There is simply no other UK technology entrepreneur of our generation who has had such an impact on so many people. His passion for life, knowledge and all those around him was instantly inspiring to everyone he met, and he will be sorely missed."
Andrew Kanter
Meanwhile Ruth Leigh, a neighbour of Mike Lynch said she was "horrified" when she learned he was missing after the yacht sank.
The 57-year-old writer and author added: "It's dreadful, it's the worst news."
She said that "right from the start [Lynch] was a fantastic neighbour".
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Whenever he met you he always remembered your name, he would chat to you, incredibly friendly and down to earth which we thought was a great quality. He was a really good neighbour."
Ruth Leigh
British Library and BBC heads among latest tributes to Mike Lynchpublished at 15:57 British Summer Time 22 August
15:57 BST 22 August
Here are some more tributes that have been coming in to Mike Lynch, who had served on the boards of several organisations, including the British Library and the BBC.
The chief executive of the British Library, Sir Roly Keating, says: "Mike's extraordinary understanding of technology, combined with his passion for the British Library's mission to share knowledge, made him an invaluable member of our board.
"He was thoughtful, perceptive and supportive, and will be deeply missed by all of us who worked with him in his time here."
Director general of the BBC Tim Davie says: "Mike Lynch was an outstanding BBC director who made a major contribution during his time on the board, from 2007 to 2012.
"Wise, generous and insightful, he played a particularly key role in accelerating our transformation as a digital organisation."
Who was the late tech tycoon Mike Lynch?published at 15:49 British Summer Time 22 August
15:49 BST 22 August
Image source, Getty ImagesThe body of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch has been recovered, days after his yacht capsized off the coast of Sicily.
The 59-year-old was holidaying on his boat with family, members of his business and legal inner circle, as well as the vessel's crew, when it was struck by a powerful storm on Monday morning.
Lynch had been a significant figure in the UK tech industry since helping to establish Cambridge Neurodynamics - a firm that specialised in using computer-based detection and recognition of fingerprints.
Five years later, he co-founded the British tech firm Autonomy. In 2011, Lynch made his riches by selling his company to US computing giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) for $11bn (£8.6bn).
But an intense legal battle following the high-profile acquisition loomed over Lynch for over a decade. He was acquitted of multiple fraud charges in the US in June, over which he had been facing two decades in jail.
Lynch had reportedly invited guests to his yacht to celebrate the conclusion of that court case.
In 2006 he was awarded an OBE in recognition of his service to UK enterprise. He served on the board of the BBC as a non-executive director, and in 2011 was appointed as an adviser to then-Prime Minister David Cameron on the risks and possibilities of AI development.
Body of Mike Lynch recovered from wreckpublished at 15:43 British Summer Time 22 August
15:43 BST 22 AugustBreaking
The body of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch has been recovered fromthe Bayesian yacht off the coast of Sicily, a source close to the family hastold the BBC.
The source also said they believe the person still missing isMike’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah.
A 'calm spirit' and 'deeply saddened': Friends and family remember victims of Bayesian sinkingpublished at 15:39 British Summer Time 22 August
15:39 BST 22 August
In addition to the tributes that have been being paid to Mike Lynch, we're also receiving commemorations of the other people who went missing after the Bayesian sank:
- A spokesperson for Clifford Chance, the law firm where Chris Morvillo was a partner, said the team was "in shock and deeply saddened"
- Recaldo Thomas, a chef on the yacht, was described by his friend, Gareth Williams, as being a "well-loved, kind human being with a calm spirit"
- Jonathan Bloomer's brother spoke to the BBC earlier in the week while they were still waiting for news. "We’re coping the best we can, and we’re all just supporting each other,” he said. “He was my elder by half an hour, so, it means a lot when you lose a twin brother."
Reports this morning from the AFP news agency have indicated that all the missing men from the yacht have been brought to shore.
Bloomer's wife, Judy Bloomer, Morvillo's wife, Neda Morvillo, and Lynch's daughter, Hannah Lynch were also confirmed as missing earlier this week.
As we've been reporting, five bodies, in addition to the yacht's chef Recaldo Thomas, have been retrieved so far but there has been no formal identification by Italian officials.
UK cancer charity 'deeply saddened' at Lynch newspublished at 15:22 British Summer Time 22 August
15:22 BST 22 August
The chiefexecutive of Cancer Research UK has paid tribute to Mike Lynch, saying the charity is “deeplysaddened to hear of the death of Mike Lynch and all those who have beenaffected by this tragedy”.
Michelle Mitchell says: "Togetherwith his wife, Angela, Mike was a valued donor to Cancer Research UK and amember of the board for our Create the Change campaign, which funded thebuilding of the Francis Crick Institute.”
"His support has helped to bring leading scientists together under oneroof to tackle the biggest health challenges faced by humankind, includingcancer,” adds Mitchell.
"Our sincerest condolences go out to all the families affected."
Lynch spoke of second lease of life weeks before boat tragedypublished at 14:57 British Summer Time 22 August
14:57 BST 22 August
Zoe Kleinman
Technology editorMike Lynch was described by many who knew him as acharismatic and clever man, regarded by some as the UK’s version of Microsoftfounder Bill Gates.
A tech industry stalwart for over 30 years, theCambridge graduate was awarded an OBE for his services to UK enterprise.
His company Autonomy was a British tech superstar. Thesoftware Lynch developed at the firm used a statistical method calledBayesian Inference, which helps forecasters predict more accurate outcomes.It’s still used in AI tools today, and shares a name with the yacht he died on.
When Lynch was dramatically acquitted in a US court of 15charges of fraud earlier this year, he was also in line for a £300m pay-out from the recent sale of UK cybersecurity firm Darktrace, which he co-founded.
Things were looking up, and just three weeks ago he spoke about having a second lease of life. It sounds like the yacht trip wasintended as a celebration of that new chapter.
Lynch also told the BBC that his wealth hadhelped him ride out the legal proceedings, but equally, it was also his wealthwhich put him and his family on the doomed luxury yacht.
Body of Mike Lynch retrieved today, official tells Reuterspublished at 14:43 British Summer Time 22 August
14:43 BST 22 August
An Italian interior ministry official has confirmed to Reuters news agency that the body of Mike Lynch was retrieved from the wreck today.
Massimo Mariani says Lynch's daughter Hannah, 18, is still missing - adding that it's possible she is either inside the wreck or may have been tossed into the sea as the boat sank.
The BBC is in touch with the Italian authorities and we'll bring you further details as we get them.
Image source, ReutersWhat's been happening on the fourth day of the search operation?published at 14:34 British Summer Time 22 August
14:34 BST 22 August
Image source, PA MediaIf you're just joining us, here's the latest from the fourth day of the Sicily search operation:
- As the fifth body is brought to shore, the search for one missing body continues
- Reuters is reporting that the last missing body is Mike Lynch's 18-year-old daughter Hannah
- Lynch's body has been recovered, according to multiple reports, as well as the bodies of Jonathan Bloomer and Chris Morvillo, says AFP
- There has been no formal identification yet. Under Italian law, victims families must be notified first
- Investigators have questioned the yacht's captain, James Cutfield, for two hours yesterday. There are now questions over whether he took necessary measures amid weather warnings before the boat capsized
