One man has died and six other people are missing after a British yacht sank off the coast of Sicily during bad weather
British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, 59, is among those missing – sources say his wife, Angela Bacares, was rescued.
Authorities in Sicily told the BBC Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, is also missing, along with the boat’s chef.
There were 22 people on board in total – 15 people were rescued including a one-year-old child.
Authorities say the missing could still be in the yacht, which is more than 50 metres underwater: “We should have found something by now”.
One English woman says she held her daughter “with all her strength” to stop her drowning.
A search and rescue operation is under way after a luxury yacht – the Bayesian – carrying several British citizens sank off the coast of Sicily at about 04:30 local time.
So far, One person has been confirmed dead and six people are still missing.
Emergency services rescued 15 people, including a one-year-old British girl.
The Italian Coastguard is leading the search, with divers and helicopters scouring the sea.
A wreck has been located at a depth of 50m (164ft) below the water’s surface.
The captain of a boat nearby told reporters he rescued 15 people from a life raft.
He says the vessel was “heeling” (leaning over to the side) before it sank.
Camper & Nicholsons, managers of the Bayesian, confirmed to the BBC that the yacht sank after “severe weather”.
British entrepreneur Mike Lynch is among the missing people, Reuters and PA news agency report
As well as the British people on the yacht, it’s been reported that those onboard were nationals of the US, Canada, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Ireland.
