What we know about the people missing in the Bayesian yacht tragedy

The search for the sixth missing person will continue on Thursday, authorities say

A body bag is brought ashore at Porticello on the fifth day of the search operation, after the luxury yacht Bayesian sank in a storm while moored off the Sicily coast. PA

A diver prepares to reach the sunken superyacht. AP

Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah were among those who died. PA

Rescuers test a decompression chamber at Porticello harbour. PA

A fire service helicopter returns to port, after being used to aid search efforts at the site of the sunken yacht. AP

Rescue workers transport a body bag after a luxury yacht, which was carrying British entrepreneur Mike Lynch. Reuters

An Italian fire service diving crew returns to harbour on the third day of the search. PA

Rescue divers continue their search. AFP

Divers off Porticello set out to inspect the site where the British-flagged luxury yacht Bayesian sank with 22 people onboard. AFP

The yacht Bayesian in Palermo, Sicily. EPA

Rescuers at Porticello plan their dive on the site where the Bayesian sank. AFP

A helicopter of the Italian Coast Guard above Porticello. AFP

A survivor of Monday's incident leaves Italian Coast Guard headquarters in Porticello. Reuters

A life raft docked at the harbour near the port where emergency and rescue services are working. Reuters

Health workers carry a body bag on the pier at Porticello. EPA

Italian authorities have so far found the bodies of five passengers after the sinking of a luxury yacht off the coast of Sicily, and the search continues for a missing sixth person.

The local civil protection agency confirmed on Wednesday that four of the five bodies have been recovered.

The body of a chef on the superyacht, Recaldo Thomas, was recovered on Monday.

The identities of the bodies found on Wednesday, and the remaining missing person, have not been confirmed but the group of six unaccounted for after the yacht sank are Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah, Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy, and Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda.

This is what we know so far about those who were on board.

Recaldo Thomas

The first body recovered at the scene of the sinking on Monday was that of Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the Bayesian superyacht, the Italian coastguard told Sky News.

In a tribute shared on Tuesday, Gareth Williams, a friend of Mr Thomas, told the BBC: “I can talk for everyone that knew him when I say he was a well-loved, kind human being with a calm spirit.”

Mr Thomas grew up in Antigua and spent his time there during the off-season, Mr Williams said.

Another friend, Eli Fuller, told the outlet that Mr Thomas was “friends with everybody”, “always positive” and “sought-after” in his profession.

Bodies retrieved from sunken superyacht Bayesian

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Mike Lynch

British technology tycoon Mr Lynch, 59, founded software giant Autonomy in 1996, and made his name as one of Britain’s most influential entrepreneurs.

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

The boat trip was a celebration of his acquittal.

He was made an OBE for services to enterprise in 2006. That same year, he was appointed to the board of the BBC, and was later elected to then-prime minister David Cameron’s council for science and technology in 2011.

“He has been one of the most influential, intelligent and most honourable human beings I have ever had the honour of knowing,” David Tabizel, Mr Lynch’s Autonomy co-founder, told Sky News on Tuesday:

Ruth Leigh, a neighbour of Mr Lynch from Pettistree in Suffolk, said on Tuesday: "Once a year he’d host a party on the lawn and we’d all go to it.

“He’s just a really nice person. I know that sounds a bit trite, but for a man in his position with every right he could have been quite lofty, but he wasn’t, he got involved.

“He used to come and speak at the church in the village on Remembrance Sunday. He was a very charitable man. He gave a lot of his time and effort, which was good. We just had an incredibly high opinion of him.”

Hannah Lynch

The 18-year-old daughter of Mr Lynch had recently finished her A-levels and was due to study at the University of Oxford.

“We are all incredibly shocked by the news that Hannah and her father are among those missing in this tragic incident and our thoughts are with their family and everyone involved as we await further updates," said a representative of Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith, west London, where Hannah was a former pupil.

Italian scuba divers prepare take the body of one of the victims ashore on August 21. AP

Jonathan Bloomer

The Morgan Stanley International bank chairman is a prominent businessman who holds a number of boardroom roles after an extensive career in financial services.

Mr Bloomer was the chief executive of global finance group Prudential between 2000 and 2005, and is also chairman of Hiscox and property business SDL.

He was among those to give evidence as a defence witness for Mr Lynch, and media reports suggest the pair are close friends.

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by this tragic event," Aki Hussain, group chief executive of Hiscox, said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Our thoughts are with all those affected, in particular our chair, Jonathan Bloomer, and his wife Judy, who are among the missing, and with their family as they await further news from this terrible situation.”

A representative of Morgan Stanley said on Tuesday: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by this tragedy.

“Our thoughts are with all those affected, in particular the Bloomer family, as we all wait for further news from this terrible situation.”

Italian Coast Guards carry a body on a rescue boat in Porticello harbor near Palermo, with a third body at the back of the boat on August 21, 2024, two days after the British-flagged luxury yacht Bayesian sank. AFP

Judy Bloomer

Mr Bloomer’s wife Judy is a respected psychotherapist.

Chris Morvillo

Mr Morvillo, a partner at law firm Clifford Chance, represented Mr Lynch during the long-running criminal fraud trial where he was eventually cleared of all charges.

“We are in shock and deeply saddened by this tragic incident," a spokeswoman for Clifford Chance said on Tuesday.

“Our thoughts are with our partner, Christopher Morvillo, and his wife Neda, who are among the missing.

“Our utmost priority is providing support to the family as well as our colleague Ayla Ronald who, together with her partner, thankfully survived the incident.”

Neda Morvillo

Mr Morvillo’s wife Neda reportedly runs a luxury jewellery line.