Manslaughter inquiry starts over superyacht's sinking

A manslaughter investigation has been opened into the deaths of seven people in the sinking of a luxury yacht off the coast of Sicily, an Italian prosecutor said yesterday.

- TED HENNESSEY

British tech mogul Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among six people whose bodies were recovered from the superyacht Bayesian after it sank near Porticello at about 5am local time on Monday.

The body of Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the superyacht, was recovered from the water.

Ambrogio Cartosio, public prosecutor of nearby town Termini Imerese, said in a press conference at the town’s court yesterday that his office had opened an initial investigation into manslaughter and negligent shipwreck, according to a translation. He added that they were conducting an investigation against unknown persons.

Mr Cartosio said he thought it probable that offences were committed but insisted investigators needed time to establish the facts.

Morgan Stanley International bank chair Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo were also recovered from the wreckage. The press conference heard that no post-mortem examinations had been carried out yet.