Mike Lynch yacht sinking must be due to human error, boss of boat builder says

The superyacht that capsized off the coast of Sicily this month, in which the British tech magnate Mike Lynch and six others died, could only have sunk because of human error, according to the chief executive of the company that owns the vessel’s manufacturer.

It is thought the Bayesian was struck by a downburst – a gusty wind associated with storms – causing the vessel to capsize and sink within minutes. The victims included Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah. Fifteen people survived, including Lynch’s wife, whose company owned the Bayesian.

“The first thought when I read the news of the sinking was that there was a problem related to the management of the boat or the fact that the hull may have hit a rock,” said Giovanni Costantino, the chief executive of the Italian Sea Group, which owns the Bayesian’s manufacturer, Perini Navi.

“But when the passengers declared they had not heard a loud noise onboard, which would have meant that the yacht had struck a reef, I realised the yacht had taken on water due to a hatch that was left open. Otherwise the Bayesian cannot sink.”

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