A manslaughter investigation has been opened into the deaths of seven people onboard the superyacht which sank off the coast of Sicily, an Italian prosecutor said.
British tech mogul Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among those recovered after the sinking of the Bayesian near Porticello at round 5am local time on Monday.
Ambrogio Cartosio, public prosecutor of nearby town Termini Imerese, said in a press conference at the town’s court today that his office has opened an initial investigation into manslaughter, according to a translation.
Mr Cartosio said the sinking could be caused by ‘behaviours that were not in order’.
He also said that investigators were not excluding other lines of enquiry.
He added that they are conducting an investigation against unknown persons.
One reporter asked why most of the crew left the boat while a number of guests still remained, when the usual practice when there is an emergency is for guests to leave first.
Prosecutors said they were ‘concentrating on this particular aspect’.
They added that they wanted to ‘discover how much [crew] knew and to what extent all the people [passengers] were warned”.
‘Of course the question is understandable.
‘We have tried to find out maximum information possible from the crew members or the survivors – all I would say is that the incident happened really, really suddenly.
‘The inquiry will begin with the facts of the shipwreck – that is all I can say at the moment.’
There is no legal obligation for the captain, crew and passengers to stay in Italy ‘but we expect them to cooperate fully in the investigation’, prosecutors added.
One journalist asked if a black box had been found onboard the wreck, to which they were told the focus so far had been on recovering the missing people, therefore no search for a box, if there is one, has happened yet.
This will take place after the boat is recovered, they said.
It was also revealed at the press conference that autopsies have not yet taken place.
The body of Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the superyacht, was recovered at the scene on Monday.
Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo were later recovered from the wreckage.
The Lynch family released a statement yesterday. A spokesperson said: ‘The Lynch family is devastated, in shock and is being comforted and supported by family and friends.
‘Their thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy.
‘They would like to sincerely thank the Italian coastguard, emergency services and all those who helped in the rescue.
‘Their one request now is that their privacy be respected at this time of unspeakable grief.’
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