Divers have recovered the bodies of six missing people after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Sicily during a storm.
Technology tycoon Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah, Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo were reported missing when the Bayesian was hit by a storm and sank at around 5am on Monday, August 19.
The body of 18-year-old Hannah was the final one to be recovered on Friday, August 23.
According to Sky News, a green body bag was observed being transported from the sinking site to the fishing community of Porticello.
Here is everything we know about those who lost their life on board.
Mike Lynch
Technology tycoon Mr Lynch, a British national, founded software giant Autonomy in 1996 and became one of the country's most prominent businessmen.
Mr Lynch was born in Ilford, east London and raised in Essex. His parents were a firefighter from Cork and a nurse from Tipperary, and he spent his summers as a boy visiting his relatives in Carrick-On-Shannon and Tipperary.The 59-year-old was acquitted in June on fraud charges connected to an 11-billion-dollar (£8.64 billion) sale to the US corporation Hewlett Packard. He was on the yacht to celebrate his acquittal.15 of the 22 passengers and crew members on board, including Angela Bacares, the wife of Mr Lynch, were saved after managing to escape on a lifeboat.
David Tabizel, Mr Lynch’s Autonomy co-founder, told Sky News on Tuesday, August 20: “He has been one of the most influential, intelligent and most honourable human beings I have ever had the honour of knowing.”
Ruth Leigh, a neighbour of Mr Lynch from Pettistree in Suffolk, said on Tuesday: “Once a year he’d host a party on the lawn and we’d all go to it. He’s just a really nice person. I know that sounds a bit trite, but for a man in his position with every right he could have been quite lofty but he wasn’t, he got involved.
“He used to come and speak at the church in the village on Remembrance Sunday. He was a very charitable man, he gave a lot of his time and effort which was good. We just had an incredibly high opinion of him.”
Hannah Lynch
Mr Lynch's eighteen-year-old daughter Hannah had just completed her A-levels and was scheduled to attend Oxford University.
A spokesperson for Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith, west London, where Hannah was a former pupil, said on Tuesday: “We are all incredibly shocked by the news that Hannah and her father are among those missing in this tragic incident and our thoughts are with their family and everyone involved as we await further updates.”
Jonathan Bloomer
Following a long career in financial services, the well-known businessman chairman of Morgan Stanley International bank occupied several board positions.He was the chairman of Morgan Stanley International, Hiscox, and the real estate company SDL. He served as the CEO of the international finance group Prudential from 2000 until 2005.Mr Bloomer testified as a defence witness for Mr Lynch, and according to media sources, they were close friends.
Aki Hussain, group chief executive of Hiscox, said in a statement on Tuesday: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by this tragic event. Our thoughts are with all those affected, in particular our chair, Jonathan Bloomer, and his wife Judy, who are among the missing, and with their family as they await further news from this terrible situation.”
A spokesperson for Morgan Stanley said on Tuesday, August 20: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by this tragedy.
“Our thoughts are with all those affected, in particular the Bloomer family, as we all wait for further news from this terrible situation.”
Judy Bloomer
Judy, the spouse of Mr Bloomer, was specialised in treating anxiety and stress during her nearly 30-year career as a psychotherapist.
Ms Bloomer was a trustee and long-time supporter of gynaecological cancer research charity The Eve Appeal.
She studied English language and literature at Homerton College, Cambridge, and previously worked as a teacher.The Bloomer family called their parents “incredible people and an inspiration to many” in a statement announcing their deaths.
They said: “We are grieving for our loved ones and all of those affected by the tragedy. Our parents were incredible people and an inspiration to many, but first and foremost they were focused on and loved their family and spending time with their new grandchildren.
“Together for five decades, our only comfort is that they are still together now. This is an unimaginable grief to shoulder.”
Chris Morvillo
Partner at Clifford Chance, Mr Morvillo, 59, defended Mr Lynch in the protracted criminal fraud trial, in which he was ultimately found not guilty of any crimes.Throughout his lengthy career, he has defended both individual and business clients in internal investigations, related regulatory and legal processes, and white-collar federal investigations.In his prior role as assistant US attorney for the Southern District of New York from 1999 to 2005, Mr Morvillo worked on cases pertaining to the 9/11 attacks and successfully prosecuted attorney Lynne Stewart for aiding terrorists.
A Clifford Chance spokesperson said: “We are heartbroken at the tragic passing of our partner, Christopher Morvillo and his wife, Neda. We are deeply saddened and still coming to terms with this terrible loss. Our utmost priority is to continue to support Chris’s family at this very distressing time. Our thoughts extend to the families and loved ones of all those affected.
“We wish to express our deepest condolences and our love and support to Chris’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time. We also want to thank the Italian authorities and rescue teams for everything they have done.”
Recaldo Thomas
Recaldo Thomas, a Canadian-Antiguan national employed as a cook on the Bayesian superyacht, was the first death found at the location of the shipwreck on Monday, August 19, the Italian coastguard according to Sky News.
In a tribute shared on Tuesday, Gareth Williams, a friend of Mr Thomas, told the BBC: “I can talk for everyone that knew him when I say he was a well-loved, kind human being with a calm spirit.”
Mr Thomas grew up in Antigua and spent his time there during the off-season, Mr Williams said.
Another friend, Eli Fuller, told the outlet Mr Thomas was “friends with everybody”, “always positive” and “sought after” in his profession.
