British billionaire Mike Lynch and one of his daughters have gone missing after a yacht they were on sank. His wife, who was rescued, has shared the devastating details.
Still shaken up and reeling from a catastrophic event, Angela Bacares, the wife of a wealthy British entrepreneur, has shared her account of what happened on the day the Bayesian superyacht sank. She discloses the shattering details while awaiting an update on the whereabouts of her husband, Mike Lynch, and their 18-year-old daughter, Hannah Lynch.
Angela, who is in a wheelchair after having to walk on broken glass to escape the sinking $18 million (£14 million) yacht, recounts how she and Mike were woken up after feeling an unsteady shift onboard.
She told La Repubblica (an Italian news outlet) that they were stirred awake at 4 am on Monday, August 19, after she felt a “slight tilt” right before chaos ensued.
A photo of another boat named Sir Robert Baden Powell in the same location where the Bayesian superyacht sunk in Porticello near Palermo, taken on August 20, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
Initially, Angela and Mike were not fearful or worried. However, that soon changed after she got up from bed to investigate and was startled by the sound of glass shattering, which then prompted panic.
Rescue boats seen off the coast of Porticello near Palermo on August 20, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
About an hour after Angela and Mike had woken up (5 am local time), the superyacht sank over 160 ft off the coast of Sicily after the mast collapsed and the boat capsized. Of the 22 terrified passengers onboard, six people are still missing. Reports confirm that two are American and the other four are British.
Italian emergency services headed out to sea towards the area off the Sicilian coast where the Bayesian superyacht sunk, taken on August 20, 2024. | Source: Getty Images
Speaking to another outlet, Angela recounted how “everything was falling” around her. Adding to the intense fear she felt at that moment is the fact that she said she was nearly “carried away” before she managed to make it out to safety.
Italian emergency services prepare to head toward the area off the Sicilian coast, taken on August 20, 2024. | Source: Getty Images
According to another outlet, since Angela’s narrow escape, she and other survivors of the yacht tragedy have been receiving assistance from a team of Palermo Health Authority and civil protection psychologists.
The survivors have also been given accommodation at the Domina Zagarella Hotel. Angela had been transferred to the hotel after receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Termini Imerese.
At this stage, Angela’s husband and daughter are still part of the group of people who are missing. The accident comes after Mike was extradited from the UK to the US in 2023, where he was under house arrest.
A profile on the father of two from 2024 reveals that he spent 13 months under house arrest in San Francisco while waiting for his trial on 17 conspiracy and wire fraud charges.
Mike Lynch leaving a court hearing in London, England on March 25, 2019 | Source: Getty Images
The charges were brought against him by the US Department of Justice and were later reduced to 15 charges. Mike, who has an estimated net worth of over $6 million (£500 million), would have faced 25 years in a US prison if he was convicted.
Mike Lynch speaking at The Times CEO summit in London, England on June 21, 2011 | Source: Getty Images
This picture painted a very grim reality for Mike, especially given the fact that he has medical issues. “I have various medical things that would have made it difficult to survive,” Mike previously disclosed.
Mike Lynch at the Economist Bellwether Europe conference in London, England on April 25, 2013 | Source: Getty Images
While Mike managed to avoid jail time, he now faces another crisis, which is quite literally a matter of life and death, as he and his daughter are still missing.
We extend our prayers to Angela during this difficult time as she waits for positive news concerning her loved ones. Our deepest condolences and prayers also go out to the other families impacted by this horrific tragedy.