Sicily yacht sinking: five bodies found, two identified

21 August 2024 , 19:29

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Sicily yacht sinking: five bodies found, two identified

English banker Jonathan Bloomer and American lawyer Chris Morvillo reportedly confirmed as among bodies recovered by Italian rescuers

Bodies of five missing persons reportedly found

Divers scouring the wreck of the luxury yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily on Monday have reportedly found the bodies of five missing persons, write Jamie Grierson and Lorenzo Tondo.

The UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, his teenage daughter Hannah Lynch, the Morgan Stanley International chair, Jonathan Bloomer, his wife, Judy, and the Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda, have been missing since the vessel went down on Monday morning.

The 56-metre yacht, named Bayesian and sailing under a British flag, was carrying 22 people and had anchored just off shore near the port of Porticello when it was hit by what was believed to be a tornado or waterspout.

The body of the yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas, was located shortly after the vessel sank.

Citing a source, Reuters said four more bodies were found on Wednesday but did not immediately give the names or gender of the victims. Sources among firefighters’ divers later told the Guardian the last two bodies had been found.

Some UK media are reporting that two of the bodies are those of Lynch and his daughter. The Guardian has not been able to independently verify this and there has been no formal confirmation from the authorities.

James Smith