Italian Prosecutor Launches Manslaughter Investigation Over Yacht Tragedy

The public prosecutor’s office in Termini Imerese, led by Ambrogio Cartosio, has started a manslaughter investigation into the yacht sinking off Sicily. The team is working to find out what caused the tragedy. They are not focusing on any one person right now.

A luxury yacht named Bayesian sank this week, leading to the deaths of seven people. British tech magnate Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah Lynch, were among those who died.

The 56-meter-long (184-foot) yacht capsized early Monday morning near Porticello, close to Palermo, during a strong storm. The yacht, made by the Italian company Perini, sank much faster than expected.

Rescue teams found Hannah’s body on Friday after searching the sunken yacht for five days. They recovered the bodies of the other five passengers on Wednesday and Thursday. 

The only crew member who died, chef Recaldo Thomas, was found on Monday.

Fifteen people survived the sinking. Among them were Lynch’s wife, who owned the yacht, and the yacht’s captain, James Cutfield. The survivors have been questioned by the coast guard but have not shared details about why the yacht sank.

Marine experts are confused. They think a yacht like the Bayesian should have survived the storm. The fast sinking raises many questions. The investigation will try to find out why this happened and if any mistakes were made.