Authorities are investigating the sinking of a superyacht that killed seven people off the coast of Sicily. Investigators are considering manslaughter charges.
According to the public prosecutor's office of Termini Imerese in Sicily, authorities are investigating whether crew is liable for the sinking. They're seeing if the crew possibly neglected their duties. A storm hit the superyacht sinking it in just minutes. This comes after divers found the final body in the wreckage of the boat. They believe it belongs to Hannah Lynch, the only one unaccounted for.
British tech CEO Mike Lynch was having a party on his superyacht with friends and family. He had just been acquitted of fraud charges. That's when the storm hit, and the superyacht sank. In total, there were 22 people on board — 12 passengers and 10 crew members. After the storm hit, 15 people managed to survive the sinking.
Authorities haven't put anyone officially under investigation. The Lynch family released a statement.
"The Lynch family is devastated, in shock, and is being comforted and supported by family and friends," a spokesperson said in a statement for the family. "Their thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy. They would like to sincerely thank the Italian coastguard, emergency services and all those who helped in the rescue."
What Caused Superyacht Sinking
Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, blamed the crew rather than the design of the superyacht. "The impossible happened on that boat ... but it went down because it took on water. From where, the investigators will tell," Costantino said in an interview.
Experts also weighed in on why the superyacht may have sank.
Gabriele Bruni, a veteran sailor, said: "An open hatch on a large ship like the Bayesian can withstand the entry of small amounts of water but, in the case of strong storms, it wouldn't prevent the entry of large amounts of water."
"It seems plausible to me that the water entered from somewhere," Bruni also added. "Otherwise, a boat like this wouldn't have sunk so quickly."
"It's clear that a lowered keel would have provided more stability to the sailboat in case of strong winds," Bruni also said. "However, it should also be noted that these vessels often cannot lower the mobile keel completely, especially when near a port. A keel with a depth of 10 meters could easily get stuck among the rocks on the seabed."
