Two people on Mike Lynch's yacht suffocated in cabin, source says | Italy

Two of the fatalities on British tech tycoon Mike Lynch's yacht, which capsized and sank off the coast of Sicily in August, reportedly died of suffocation when they ran out of oxygen in the cabins.

A source familiar with the investigation told the Guardian that Chris Morvillo, a lawyer at Clifford Chance, and his wife Neda “had no water in their lungs, windpipe or stomach.”

The source, who described the cause of death as “death by encapsulation,” confirmed the version of events reported by fire department and coast guard divers, who had explained that the passengers trapped in the cabins were probably trying to breathe oxygen from the air bubble that had formed when the boat sank.

Despite the clear evidence from the initial investigations, the source added: “The results are still preliminary as histological examinations of the samples taken from the bodies will be necessary to determine the cause of death.”

The superyacht Bayesian sank off the coast of Porticello, a fishing village near Palermo, as the area was hit by violent storms. Seven people died, including Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah.

Fifteen people survived, including Lynch's wife, whose company owned the Bayesian. It is believed to have been hit by a downburst, a gusty wind that accompanies storms.

Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into manslaughter and shipwreck against three crew members, including the yacht's captain, 51-year-old James Cutfield from New Zealand. The fact that Italy is investigating does not mean that the yacht is guilty, nor does it mean that formal charges will follow.

According to the local fire department, “the bodies were found in the highest part of the ship, as it was obvious that people were trying to hide in the cabins on the left side.” The ship landed on its right side after sinking, falling to a depth of about 50 meters.

Officials believe that passengers were looking for escape routes and reached the opposite side of the ship they were in. The space to breathe was becoming increasingly narrow as water was rapidly entering the spaces and the air bubble was becoming increasingly unbreathable due to the rising carbon dioxide levels.

The body of Recaldo Thomas, the cook on board, was found in the water near the ship. Five of the victims were reportedly found in rooms other than those reported by survivors.

According to the newspaper “La Repubblica”, the CEO of Morgan Stanley International, Jonathan Bloomer, and his wife Judy also probably died of suffocation; the results of their autopsies were identical to those of the Morvillos.

The Guardian cannot independently verify information about the Bloomers.

The chief forensic pathologist at the Policlinico Hospital in Palermo, who is conducting autopsies on the victims' bodies, declined to comment.

The autopsies of Lynch and Hannah's bodies are expected on Thursday. In the afternoon, investigators will begin a technical examination of the sunken yacht. They want to determine whether a hatch was open, which could have led to the sinking.

The prosecutor's office is examining videos and photos taken by local residents on the night of the storm, as well as footage from surveillance cameras. In recent weeks, the coast guard has visited all homes and public places with surveillance cameras.

Italian officials said a full investigation into the sinking would be difficult unless the wreckage was recovered.