Who is Mike Lynch? British tech tycoon among six passengers missing after luxury yacht sinks in Italy

The 183ft superyacht, named Bayesian, reportedly capsized off the coast of Palermo in Sicily at around 5am local time following a fierce storm overnight. A body, believed to be the yacht’s chef, has been recovered while 15 others were rescued, according to local media.

Six people are still unaccounted for, with Mr Lynch believed to be amongst the group who have not yet been found following the crash. Local newspaper Il Giornale di Sicilia reported that most passengers on-board were British, but there were also passengers from New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland and British-French citizens.

A spokesman for Mr Lynch provided no comment on the reports, while a spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “We are in contact with the local authorities following an incident in Sicily, and stand ready to provide consular support to British nationals affected.”

Who is Mike Lynch?

Mike Lynch, 59, is an Essex-born technology entrepreneur who co-founded the enterprise software company Autonomy Corporation, as well as co-founding venture capital firm Invoke Capital. Mr Lynch is also the co-founder of British-based cyber security company Darktrace.

Born in Ilford in 1965, Mr Lynch won a scholarship to private day school Bancroft’s School, Woodford, before moving onto Christ’s College at Cambridge University to study Natural Sciences. He would later go on to study neural networks as part of his PhD.

He created multiple studies in his early years in business, including Lynett Systems Ltd, which produced designs and audio products including electronic synthesizers and samplers, and Cambridge Neurodynamics, which specialised in computer-based fingerprint recognition products.

Autonomy Corportation was founded in 1996 by Mr Lynch, David Tabizel and Richard Gaunt. Mr Lynch led the company as CEO to become one of the UK’s top 100 public companies before being sold to Hewlett Packard for £8.6bn dollars. Earlier this year, he was cleared of conducting fraud relating to the sale of the company to HP.

In 2006, he was awarded an OBE for his services to enterprise. According to Forbes, his current net worth sits at $1bn.