03 September 2024 , 12:07
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US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda were among seven people who died when the Bayesian superyacht sank in a sudden, violent storm off Sicily on August 19
The cause of death for two victims in the Bayesian superyacht tragedy has been officially revealed following an autopsy.
US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda were among seven people who died when the Bayesian sank in a sudden, violent storm on August 19. The first autopsies of victims show drowning as the cause of death. Officials found "no sign" of any other injuries which may have resulted in their deaths. The autopsies were carried out by coroners designated by Palermo prosecutors, who confirmed the results.
Autopsies are planned Wednesday on the bodies of Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley’s London-based investment banking subsidiary, and his wife, Judy. They are pending for the remaining three victims, British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, who had organised the yacht trip to celebrate a recent legal victory, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah and the yacht’s cook, Recaldo Thomas.
Morvillo was one of Lynch’s US lawyers in a fraud case involving the sale in 2011 of Autonomy, a search engine company that became a symbol of British ingenuity, to Hewlett-Packard, in an $11 billion deal that quickly turned sour over allegations Lynch had cooked the books to overvalue Autonomy. He was acquitted in June.
Prosecutors are investigating the captain and two crew members for possible responsibility in connection with the sinking. The 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged luxury yacht sank during what appears to have been a sudden downburst, or localized powerful wind from a thunderstorm that spreads rapidly after hitting the surface. Fifteen people, including Lynch’s wife, were rescued.
Prosecutors said raising the Bayesian and examining the yacht for evidence would provide key elements to the investigation.
Prosecutors said raising the Bayesian and examining the yacht for evidence would provide key elements to the investigation. No timeline has been determined.
It comes as Hewlett Packard Enterprise said on Monday it won’t drop its UK claim for damages against the estate of British tech mogul Mike Lynch, who was killed when his superyacht sank last month.
Britain’s High Court in 2022 ruled mostly in favour of the U.S. technology company, which accused Lynch and his former finance director of fraud over its $11 billion takeover of his software company Autonomy. Hewlett Packard is seeking up to $4 billion in damages and the judge is expected to issue a decision on the final sum soon.. His widow, Angela Bacares, could now be liable for the damages.
Months before the sinking, Lynch was acquitted in a separate US criminal trial of fraud and conspiracy charges in the deal. Hewlett Packard initially celebrated the costly acquisition of Lynch’s company in 2011 but quickly came to regret it. The company said in a statement Monday that it had “substantially succeeded” in its civil fraud claims against Lynch and Sushovan Hussain, the former finance director.