Banking Executive Among Four Victims Who ‘Suffocated in Air Bubble’

Recent reports have shed light on the tragic sinking of the Bayesian yacht, where four of the victims suffocated after oxygen ran out in an air pocket within the submerged vessel. Autopsies conducted over the past few days revealed a significant detail: these individuals had no water in their lungs, indicating they died from suffocation due to rising carbon dioxide levels, as noted in the Italian publication La Repubblica.

Initial post-mortem examinations concluded that the four victims suffered from “atypical drowning,” characterized by the lack of water in their lungs, trachea, and stomach. Additionally, no external injuries were found, leading investigators to believe the victims attempted to find remaining air pockets in the ship as it capsized.

This heartbreaking incident claimed the lives of seven individuals, including British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah. The tragedy unfolded last month when a violent storm struck the yacht off the coast of Sicily, causing it to sink rapidly and trap those below deck.

Divers who recovered the victims discovered five bodies, including that of Mr. Lynch, in a single cabin on the left side of the yacht. Hannah’s body was located separately. Among the deceased was also Recaldo Thomas, the yacht’s chef, whose body was recovered floating near the wreckage, located approximately 50 meters underwater.

Investigators believe the victims likely sought pockets of air as the yacht tilted sharply to the right during the sinking. However, these air pockets would have been short-lived, quickly becoming filled with toxic carbon dioxide. Autopsy findings corroborated this theory, highlighting that the air supply would have diminished rapidly.

The victims examined thus far include Jonathan Bloomer, former international chairman of Morgan Stanley Bank, his wife Judith, a psychotherapist, Christopher Morvillo, a US lawyer, and his wife Neda, a jewelry designer. Previous reports initially suggested that the Morvillo couple died from drowning. However, recent autopsy results indicate their lungs were not fully filled with water, classifying their deaths as “dry drowning.”

The investigation also revealed that Ms. Barcares, the CEO of the company owning the superyacht, made it to the deck barefoot but focused solely on trying to save her daughter and husband trapped below. In her desperate effort, she sustained cuts from broken glass, preventing her from reaching the cabins in time to assist Mr. Lynch and Hannah before losing power and visibility due to the boat’s electrical blackout.

Ms. Barcares has reported that she struggled to walk for a week following the sinking due to her injuries, adding to the emotional and physical toll of this maritime disaster. The remaining autopsies, including those of Mr. Lynch, Hannah, and Chef Recaldo Thomas, are scheduled for Friday, as the investigation continues.

Of the passengers and crew, nine crew members and six passengers, including Mr. Lynch’s wife, survived by escaping on an inflatable life raft. Prosecutors have since initiated an investigation into the yacht’s captain, New Zealander James Cutfield, and two British crew members—engineer Tim Parker Eaton and crew member Matthew Griffiths—on allegations of possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck.

Mr. Parker Eaton has denied accusations that external doors were left open during the storm, which allegedly led to water flooding the engine room. Details from Mr. Griffiths, who was on watch duty, revealed that he alerted the captain when wind speeds reached 20 knots (approximately 23 mph or 37 kph). He recounted the chaos as the ship began to tilt, tossing them into the water as they tried to rescue those still aboard.

As the situation unfolds, the crew members have been allowed to leave Sicily while investigators continue their inquiry into the critical moments between the storm hitting the yacht at 3:50 a.m. and its rapid sinking by 4:06 a.m., just 400 meters from the Sicilian port of Porticello. Importantly, being under investigation does not imply guilt or ensure that formal charges will be filed.