Mike Lynch yacht sinking latest: Captain under investigation as condolences pour in for Hannah Lynch

Italian prosecutors have placed Captain James Cutfield under investigation over the deaths of Mike Lynch and six others after the British tech tycoon’s luxury yacht sank off Sicily last week, a judicial source said. Reuters.

The official, who asked not to be named, confirmed earlier reports in Italian media that New Zealander Catfield was being investigated for manslaughter and shipwreck.

The superyacht “was designed to sail in any weather,” said a naval architect who was part of the team that designed the Bayzian.

In an interview published Monday in the newspaper, No Stampa, Franco Romani also said the yacht likely entered the water through a side hatch that was left open.

He added that the crew underestimated the bad weather and should have made sure all the hatches were closed and the anchor removed before the storm hit the boat.

British tech mogul Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among those initially unidentified after his luxury yacht, the Paisian, sank in a storm off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday morning.

After a decade-long legal battle that saw him extradited to the US to face an $11 billion fraud case, Mr Lynch celebrated by inviting his close friends, colleagues and those who helped him in his legal team on board his boat as a gesture of gratitude.

My colleagues Rachel Hagan and Jabed Ahmed a report:

Italian prosecutors have opened a formal investigation into James Cutfield, the captain of British tech mogul Mike Lynch’s luxury yacht, after the vessel sank off the coast of Sicily last week, killing Lynch and six others, according to Italian news reports.

New Zealand national Mr. Catfield, 51, is under investigation for manslaughter and shipwreck, Italian newspapers reported. Republic and Corriere della Sera He said.

• Why were the passengers who remained on board not warned to escape from the yacht?
• Why were there several passengers in one cabin?
• Why did the boat sink?
• Why weren’t nearby ships similarly affected?
• What weather warnings are Bayesian alerted to?
• How long will it take to restore the sailing vessel?

A court-appointed armed guard tasked with ensuring Mike Lynch does not escape while he faces fraud charges has praised the tech mogul, saying the security team has become “less detailed and more like family”.

Rollo Igno also described the “beautiful memory of the soul” in Mr. Lynch’s daughter, Hannah.

Mr. Igno said he had the “privilege” of spending “almost every waking moment” with Mr. Lynch while he was in custody in San Francisco, describing the details as unlike anything he had ever worked on and as “life-changing.”

“As an executive protection agent, the first rule is simple: Never get close to the boss,” he said.

“They’re not your friends, they’re clients and the relationship is strictly professional. But with Mike, that wasn’t acceptable to me, and for me, that rule quickly faded.”

Italian prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio of the nearby town of Termini Imerese said his office had opened a preliminary investigation into manslaughter and the sinking of the ship due to negligence. No suspects have yet been identified.

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