Family ‘devastated', 'in shock’ as bodies of Mike & Hannah Lynch recovered from sunken yacht off Sicily coast

On Friday (August 23), the body of 18-year-old Hannah was recovered from the wreckage of the Bayesian superyacht, making her the last missing passenger to be found. The discovery comes amid reports in the Italian media suggesting that prosecutors may soon announce a manslaughter investigation related to the incident.

Mike and Hannah Lynch were among six people, including Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International, and his wife Judy, as well as Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda, who perished when the yacht sank around 5am local time on Monday.

In a statement, the Lynch family shared: “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.”

The family also released a photograph of Mike and Hannah alongside their tribute.

Vincenzo Zagarola of the Italian Coastguard, who oversaw the search for Hannah, described the operation as neither “easy nor quick,” likening the sunken yacht to “an 18-storey building full of water.” All six bodies have now been retrieved and brought to shore in the small fishing village of Porticello, near Palermo.

Out of the 22 passengers and crew on board, 15 were rescued, including Mike Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares. The body of Recaldo Thomas, a Canadian-Antiguan chef working on the yacht, was recovered shortly after the sinking on Monday.

The yacht trip was reportedly a celebration of Mike Lynch’s acquittal in a US fraud case, where he was cleared in June of fraud charges related to the $11 billion sale of his company, Autonomy, to Hewlett Packard.

Tributes have poured in for Hannah, with one of her former teachers, Jon Mitropoulos-Monk of Latymer Upper School, remembering her as a student who combined "sky-high intellectual ability with warmth and enthusiasm". Her friend, Katya Lewis, said “being with Hannah made me feel whole and happy. She is the most special friend anyone could ask for and I will always love Hannah.”

In a statement, the Bloomer family described Jonathan and Judy as “incredible people and an inspiration to many.”

As the investigation continues, the yacht’s captain, James Cutfield, has reportedly been questioned by authorities. The Bayesian remains on the seabed at a depth of 50 meters, and decisions about raising the wreck are expected in the future. A press conference is scheduled by prosecutors in Termini Imerese to discuss the case further.