Inquest hears tech tycoon Mike Lynch died by drowning

The cause of death for his daughter Hannah, who has been due to go to Oxford University, is still being investigated.

Mike and Hannah Lynch
Author: Shaunna BurnsPublished 4th Oct 2024

A coroner says Suffolk-based tech billionaire Mike Lynch died by drowning - after his superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily.

An inquest was opened into his, and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah's deaths. Hannah had been due to start a degree at Oxford University in September of this year.

The pair, alongside Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda died when the yacht sank at around 5am local time on Monday 19th August.

At this morning's hearing in Ipswich, the coroner confirmed tests were still taking place to work out the cause of death for three other people who died in the tragedy - including Hannah Lynch.

Of the 22 passengers and crew on board, 15 - including Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares - were rescued after escaping onto a lifeboat.

Mr Lynch, who founded software giant Autonomy in 1996, was made an OBE for services to enterprise in 2006.

He was also named Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk back in 2014.

In June this year, he was cleared of conducting a massive fraud relating to an 11 billion dollar (£8.64 billion) sale to US company Hewlett Packard.

"We were aware something was very wrong"

The captain of a yacht, the Sir Robert BP, who helped to rescue them, described how those aboard his vessel spotted the distress flare set off from a life raft.

Karsten Borner said his crew noticed the Bayesian had disappeared before a passenger spotted the flare.

He told Sky News: "We couldn't see them any more and they disappeared from the radar, we were busy keeping our own ship sailing.

"We couldn't see the ship again so we were aware something was very wrong."

He said it was only when the tender set out that they found the life raft.

Mr Borner continued: "It turned out to be the life raft, a 12-person life raft with 15 people inside including one baby.

Italian emergency services preparing to head toward the wreckage off the Sicilian coast

"They stepped over to our tender and we brought them back to our ship. There we took good care of them, gave them dry clothes, towels, blankets, tea and coffee and so on and took care of them."

In a previous statement, Mike and Hannah's family, who live in Suffolk, said: "The Lynch family is devastated, in shock and is being comforted and supported by family and friends.

"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.

"Their one request now is that their privacy be respected at this time of unspeakable grief."

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