In a series of events that have shocked the tech world, British billionaire Mike Lynch is missing after his yacht sank off the coast of Sicily — just days after his former associate and co-defendant Stephen Chamberlain after being struck by a car.
Lynch, often referred to as “the Bill Gates of the UK,” was aboard his 184-foot yacht Bayesian when it capsized early Monday morning following a sudden tornado at sea.
His wife, Angela Baceres, was rescued, but Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, and four others remain unaccounted for. The missing include four British nationals and two Americans.
Italian authorities have stated that while survival chances are slim, they haven’t given up hope.
“Never say never,” one official commented. Dive teams have been dispatched to the area where the yacht sank.
This maritime disaster comes on the heels of another tragedy. On Saturday, Stephen Chamberlain, 52, former vice president of finance at Lynch’s company Autonomy, was fatally struck by a vehicle while jogging in Cambridgeshire, England. Chamberlain and Lynch had recently been co-defendants in a high-profile fraud case in the United States.
Both men were acquitted in June of charges related to the $11 billion sale of Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard in 2011. HP later claimed the company’s value had been overstated by billions, resulting in an $8.8 billion writedown.
Chamberlain’s family described him as “an amazing individual whose only goal in life was to help others in any way possible.” His lawyer, Gary Licenberg, called him a “courageous man” who had fought successfully to clear his name.
The proximity of these events has fueled speculation online, though no evidence of foul play has been presented in either case.
Lynch’s yacht was reportedly carrying guests from Clifford Chance, the legal firm that represented him, and Invoke Capital, his own company. The vessel sank rapidly after being hit by the tornado, with eyewitnesses describing a sudden disappearance beneath the waves.
As the search continues off the Sicilian coast, the tech industry and beyond watch with bated breath, hoping for a miracle in this unfolding tragedy.