Tributes to ‘brilliant’ Mike and Hannah Lynch as family speak of shock
The family of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah, who tragically died when their yacht sank off Sicily on Monday, have expressed their profound grief and shock.
They described their “unspeakable grief” as the last body recovered from the sunken Bayesian yacht, believed to be 18-year-old Hannah’s, was retrieved on Friday.
In a statement, the family said, “Their thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy. They sincerely thank the Italian coastguard, emergency services, and all who assisted in the rescue efforts.”
Italian authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the sinking, which also resulted in the deaths of five others on the boat.
Tributes have been paid to Mr. Lynch, a pioneer in artificial intelligence, and his daughter, who had recently secured a place at the University of Oxford.
Andrew Kanter, a close friend, described Mike as “the most brilliant mind and caring person I have ever known,” noting his passion for life, knowledge, and those around him. “He was instantly inspiring to everyone he met and will be deeply missed.”
Hannah’s sister Esme remembered her as “endlessly caring, passionately mad, unintentionally hilarious, and the most amazing, supportive, and joyful sister and best friend.”
“She is my little angel, my star,” Esme added.
Gracie Lea, a classmate of Hannah, remembered her as “easy to love: sincere, dedicated, fiercely intelligent, and genuinely kind. I’ll always remember her smiling.”
She had recently finished her A-levels and had been offered a place to study English at Oxford, according to the Times.
“We are all incredibly shocked by the news,” a spokesperson for her school, Latymer Upper, west London, said.
“Our thoughts are with their family and everyone involved,” they added.
Among those who lost their lives in the disaster were Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy, a charity trustee.
In a statement the Bloomer family described the couple as “incredible people and an inspiration to many”.
Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo, his wife, jeweller Neda Morvillo, and the boat’s chef Recaldo Thomas also died in the disaster.
Among 15 survivors were a one-year-old child, and Hannah’s mother, Angela Bacares.
The gathering on the Lynch’s yacht came after the end of a long-running legal battle over the sale of Mr Lynch’s company Autonomy.
He was acquitted of multiple fraud charges in the US in June, over which he had been facing two decades in jail.
Italian authorities are still investigating the circumstances around Monday’s incident.
In cases like this one, it is common for officials to embark on a broad investigation – known as a ‘crime hypothesis’ – that considers a series of possible criminal charges.
Approached by BBC News, the Italian police confirmed an investigation was ongoing but no charges have yet been brought.
The yacht’s captain, James Cutfield, his eight surviving crew members and passengers have been questioned by the Coast Guard on behalf of prosecutors.
Rescuers described the search and recovery operation as “complex”, with divers limited to 12-minute underwater shifts.
In a statement, Italian firefighters said it had been “five days of long and delicate operations in the sea, at a depth of about 50 metres (around 164 feet).”
After reports emerged that the final body had been found, a coastguard vessel which had been at the site of the shipwreck for hours could be seen back in the port.
Meanwhile, a helicopter landed nearby as divers took off their orange suits on the quayside.
A decision on whether to raise the sunken yacht from the seabed is “not on the agenda” but will be in the future, a spokesperson from the Italian Coastguard has said.
The ship was “practically intact” on the seabed, according to divers on the search and rescue team.
Prosecutors are expected to hold a news conference on Saturday morning.
