The luxury yacht “Bayesian” sank off the coast of Sicily last week, killing seven people. The public prosecutor’s office is investigating the manslaughter and is now apparently specifically targeting the captain.
Since Saturday, the Italian public prosecutor’s office has been investigating manslaughter after seven people died when the luxury yacht “Bayesian” sank a week ago. Details have now been made public: According to media reports, the investigators are now targeting the yacht’s captain.
The news agencies Ansa and Reuters and the daily newspaper La Repubblica reported that the 51-year-old New Zealander was being investigated for negligent homicide and shipwreck. He was questioned for the second time within a week on Sunday. There has been no official confirmation of this from the authorities so far.
Yacht could not withstand gusts of wind
In the accident on Monday a week ago, British software entrepreneur Mike Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, two married couples who were friends with him and the ship’s cook were killed. 15 people, including Lynch’s wife, were rescued.
According to investigators, the “Bayesian” was hit by a downdraft during a storm at around four in the morning. Downdrafts occur when cold air falls downwards in a thunderstorm. They can reach very high speeds.
The yacht sank within a few minutes. It is suspected that the victims were caught asleep in their cabins and were unable to escape from the ship.
Other crew members are being questioned
According to reports, the captain’s most recent questioning included whether or not doors and hatches were open during the accident and when the alarm was triggered. Investigators are currently also questioning the other crew members.
Lynch wanted to celebrate a legal victory with the sailing trip in the Mediterranean. The founder of the British software company Autonomy was sued in California by its current owner Hewlett-Packard, but was unanimously acquitted by a jury in June
Initially, the coast guard questioned the captain and the eight surviving crew members on behalf of the investigating authorities. According to prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano, they were “extremely cooperative” when questioned by the authorities.
Pulling the “Bayesian” out of the sea could help investigators clarify the circumstances of the accident. “It is in the interest of the ship’s owners and managers to salvage it,” said agency head Ambrogio Cartosio.