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Who is Mike Lynch? Tech tycoon known as 'British Bill Gates' among those missing after Sicily Yacht sinking incident
Mike Lynch, a British tech entrepreneur known as the British Bill Gates, is one of six people reported missing after a luxury superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily during a violent storm.
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British tech tycoon, Mike Lynch, is among six missing after a superyacht sank off Sicily's coast
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The 56-meter yacht, Bayesian, sank during a violent storm near Porticello, leaving 6 still missing
Mike Lynch, a prominent British tech entrepreneur known as the British Bill Gates, is one of six people missing after a luxury superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily earlier this week. Lynch is well-known for founding Autonomy, a software company based in the United Kingdom, as well as for his significant influence in the technology industry.
The tragic incident occurred during a violent storm on Monday, August 19, leaving several people missing and prompting a massive search operation by local authorities as reported by PEOPLE.
The luxurious superyacht, Bayesian, measured 56 meters in length and was registered under the United Kingdom flag. It tragically sank near Porticello in Sicily at approximately 5 a.m. local time. The Italian coast guard reported that the yacht was caught in a fierce storm that hit the region. At the time of the incident, there were 22 individuals on board, comprising 12 passengers and 10 crew members.
The coast guard and local sources confirmed that 15 people were rescued, with eight taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Unfortunately, six people, including Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, are still missing. A cook from the yacht was found dead near the wreckage.
Francesco Venuto, a spokesperson for Sicily's civil protection agency, described the dire situation, saying, "We've been searching all day with helicopters and boats, we've found nothing. That wouldn't make sense; in these conditions, we should have found something by now."
Mike Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, was one of those rescued from the yacht. However, his daughter Hannah remains missing, raising concerns about her safety.
According to local officials, Lynch, his daughter, and four other British citizens are among those missing. The incident has received a lot of attention because of Lynch's status in the tech industry, as well as the yacht and its passengers' high profile.
Salvatore Cocina, the director general of Sicily's civil protection agency, told the BBC that Hannah Lynch is believed to be 18 years old. The search efforts continue, but the chances of finding survivors are decreasing as time passes.
The incident occurred just months after Mike Lynch was cleared of more than a dozen fraud and conspiracy charges in a high-profile legal case. Lynch was accused of inflating Autonomy's earnings before its $11 billion sale to Hewlett-Packard. Lynch was acquitted of all charges following a lengthy legal battle, providing relief to the tech tycoon and his family.
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