Tributes to Mike and Hannah Lynch as family speak of shock

The family of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah, who died when their yacht sank off Sicily on Monday, say they are devastated and in shock.

They told of their “unspeakable grief” as the final body from the sunken Bayesian yacht, believed to be that of 18-year-old Hannah, was recovered on Friday.

“Their thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy,” a statement on the family’s behalf said. “They would like to sincerely thank the Italian coastguard, emergency services and all those who helped in the rescue.”

Italian officials are investigating the circumstances around Monday’s sinking, which also claimed the lives of five others on the boat.

Family and friends paid tribute to Mr Lynch, who helped pioneer a form of artificial intelligence, and his daughter, who had just won a place at the University of Oxford.

“Mike was the most brilliant mind and caring person I have ever known,” a close friend, Andrew Kanter, said. “His passion for life, knowledge and all those around him was instantly inspiring to everyone he met, and he will be sorely missed.”

Gracie Lea, a classmate of Hannah, described her as “easy to love: sincere, dedicated, fiercely intelligent and genuinely kind. I’ll always remember her smiling”.

She had recently finished her A-levels and had been offered a place to study English at Oxford, according to the Times.

“We are all incredibly shocked by the news,” a spokesperson for her school, Latymer Upper, west London, said.

“Our thoughts are with their family and everyone involved,” they added.

Among those who lost their lives in the disaster were Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy, a charity trustee.

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

Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo, his wife, jeweller Neda Morvillo, and the boat’s chef Recaldo Thomas also died in the disaster.

Among 15 survivors were a one-year-old child, and Hannah’s mother, Angela Bacares.

The gathering on the Lynch’s yacht came after the end of a long-running legal battle over the sale of Mr Lynch’s company Autonomy.

He was acquitted of multiple fraud charges in the US in June, over which he had been facing two decades in jail.

Italian authorities are still investigating the circumstances around Monday’s incident.

In cases like this one, it is common for officials to embark on a broad investigation – known as a ‘crime hypothesis’ – that considers a series of possible criminal charges.

Approached by BBC News, the Italian police confirmed an investigation was ongoing but no charges have yet been brought.

The yacht’s captain, James Cutfield, his eight surviving crew members and passengers have been questioned by the Coast Guard on behalf of prosecutors.

Rescuers described the search and recovery operation as “complex”, with divers limited to 12-minute underwater shifts.

In a statement, Italian firefighters said it had been “five days of long and delicate operations in the sea, at a depth of about 50 metres (around 164 feet).”

After reports emerged that the final body had been found, a coastguard vessel which had been at the site of the shipwreck for hours could be seen back in the port.

Meanwhile, a helicopter landed nearby as divers took off their orange suits on the quayside.

A decision on whether to raise the sunken yacht from the seabed is “not on the agenda” but will be in the future, a spokesperson from the Italian Coastguard has said.

The ship was “practically intact” on the seabed, according to divers on the search and rescue team.

Prosecutors are expected to hold a news conference on Saturday morning.