Tech tycoon Mike Lynch’s widow recalls 'catastrophic' moment of Bayesian yacht disaster year after she survived tragedy
Businessman Mike Lynch's widow Angela Bacares has remembered the 'very sudden' moment their superyacht Bayesian went into peril.
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Mrs Bacares, 58, survived the tragedy off the cost of Sicily last summer which killed seven people including her husband, a tech tycoon, 59, and their daughter Hannah, 18.
However, the movement did not alarm Mrs Bacares, who said she felt 'reassured' by the crew after they successfully navigated a 'really bad storm' near Naples two weeks prior.
On August 19, 2024, she recalled waking at around 4am at which point the £30million vessel was 'moving up and down and swaying'.
However, the movement did not alarm Ms Bacares, who said she felt 'reassured' by the crew after they successfully navigated a 'really bad storm' near Naples two weeks prior.
Read more: Estate of Bayesian superyacht victim Mike Lynch facing bankruptcy following £700million fraud ruling
She said in a statement according to the Daily Mail that she did not believe they were in a 'serious situation' even thought objects began to slide until 'something catastrophic happened’
Mrs Bacares added: "I think something catastrophic happened to make the boat roll over, but it was all very sudden."
In May, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) published an interim report revealing that wind gusts of 63.4 knots (73.0mph) hitting the yacht from the side were enough to capsize it.
MAIB investigator Simon Graves noted that the sails had not been hoisted and the vessel was 'running on its engine' at the time of the accident.
“That indicated a vulnerability that the owner and the crew would not have known about,” he added.
No date has yet been announced for the release of the final report.
Captain James Cutfield is being investigated for manslaughter, alongside engineer Tim Parker Eaton and nightwatchman Matthew Griffiths, all of whom deny any wrongdoing.
Inquest proceedings in the UK are looking at the deaths of Mr Lynch and his daughter Hannah as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals.
The others who died in the sinking were US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo.
Fifteen people, including Mrs Bacares, were rescued.
Last month, Mr Lynch's estate has been told to pay Hewlett Packard (HP) £700million after a court case linked to the fraudulent sale of his software business Autonomy in 2011.
A High Court judge ruled that Lynch should now compensate Hewlett Packard - a ruling now passed on to his estate following his death last year.
The ruling could mean no assets could be passed to Mrs Bacares or the couple's daughter, Esme, should an appeal prove unsuccessful.