According to a senior civil protection officer, on Monday, August 19, Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, attorney Chris Morvillo, and his wife, Neda Morvillo, are among the six people authorities are still looking for after a luxury yacht sunk off the coast of Sicily,
The two other people missing include British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah. Bloomer is a close friend of Lynch, 59, who was recently cleared of over a dozen fraud and conspiracy charges.
When the tragedy struck, the tech tycoon had just gotten a new lease on life. Chris Morvillo, who is also missing, is Lynch’s attorney. The expert underwater team trying to save those trapped in the sunken yacht was not able to make any inroads into the vessel Monday night. The rescue teams suspected that the missing people were possibly trapped inside the hull.
Jonathan Bloomer and His Wife Missing in Sicily Yacht Tragedy
The Bayesian, a 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged luxury yacht, sunk near the Mediterranean island in southern Italy. Investigators are focusing on how the sailing vessel, tagged “unsinkable” by its manufacturer, Italian shipyard Perini Navi, sank while a nearby sailboat barely got affected.
ALSO READ: Arizona Man Chris Zwierzynski Survives a 700-Foot Fall on Oregon’s Mount Hood
Six people, including Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, were identified as missing after the yacht went down. According to eyewitness accounts, the yacht was anchored when it was struck by the waterspout and lost its balance, causing it to sink.
Initially, only one person’s body was recovered. The body of the boat’s chef, chef Recaldo Thomas, was discovered near the vessel on Monday morning.
What Happened to Jonathan Bloomer and His Wife?
Since the vessel’s sinking, Coast Guard patrol boats and firefighters have rescued 15 people of the 22 onboard after divers reached 49 ft. below the sea surface of the vessel.
Eight were rescued and taken to local hospitals. Among those saved were Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, and a 1-year-old English girl named Sophie, her mother, and Lynch’s associate, Charlotte Golunski.
In the days following the sinking, a massive search effort was launched to locate Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International and British insurance firm Hiscox, and his wife, Judy, and Christopher Morvillo, a well-known New York City defense attorney, and his wife, Neda.
It took some time, but all of their bodies were eventually pulled from the wreck. Unfortunately, they did not survive the incident. The Bayesian was reportedly owned by a firm linked to Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares.
A Life Witness Account From a Survivor
According to Lynch’s associate, Charlotte Golunski, she lost her grip on her 1-year-old daughter when a wave hit them, dragging the child out to sea. However, in what local sources tagged something of a miracle, the same wave returned Sophie shortly after.
“I held her afloat with all my strength, my arms stretched upwards to keep her from drowning,” Golunski said. “It was all dark. In the water, I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I screamed for help, but all I could hear around me was the screams of others.”
Sophie was sent to the Children’s Hospital of Palermo, where she met her mother, who sustained minor injuries in the incident. Sophie’s father, James Emsley, also survived the incident.
What Caused the Yacht To Sink in Italy?
According to prosecutors, a downburst hit the yacht and caused it to sink. A downburst is a localized, powerful wind that descends from a thunderstorm and spreads unpredictably.
Previous reports claimed that the cause of the disaster was a watersprout or mini tornado at sea. An investigation is underway focusing on the conduct of the captain, 51-year-old James Cutfield from New Zealand.
Notably, the captain and eight of his crew survived the incident and are being questioned. “We didn’t see it coming,” he told Italian media. However, plenty of others did see the storm coming. Violent winds and rain were forecast after days of searing heat.
ALSO READ: California Mom Mauled to Death by Roaming Great Danes
The head of the company that built the Bayesian, Giovanni Costantino, is convinced there had been many errors on board. “At the back of the boat, a hatch must have been left open,” he said, “but also perhaps a side entrance for water to have poured inside.
“Before the storm, the captain should have closed every opening, lifted anchor, turned on the engine, pointed into the wind, and lowered the keel.”
You Might Also Like:
Joe Biden Passes the Torch to Kamala Harris With an Invigorating DNC Speech
Michael Oher Says He Didn’t Sue the Tuohys Because of Money: “I Worked Hard”
Quick Hacks for Fixing Your Broken Zipper
Microwave Popcorn Hacks: How to Make the Fluffiest, Tastiest Bites
