images of yachting

• A photo Photos   10k
• Pen Tool Illustrations   39
• A stack of folders Collections   77
• A group of people Users   69

Browse premium images on iStock | Claim your discount now

Make something awesome

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Conservation and Philanthropy
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• BOATPro Home
• Superyacht Insight
• Global Order Book
• Premium Content
• Product Features
• Testimonials
• Pricing Plan
• Tenders & Equipment

Eye openers: The stories behind iconic images from the yachting archives

Whether getting hands-on in sailing regattas, hosting exclusive parties on board some of the world's largest superyachts , or escaping persistent paparazzi in secluded spots, royalty and high society have long been bound to the yachting world. Luckily, many of these moments have been captured on film for historical aficionados to obsess over. BOAT flicks through the yachting archives to dig deeper into the contexts behind four breathtaking photos... 

The prince of sails

Sporty, casual and semi-clothed – this 1979 shot of Great Britain’s then-Prince Charles is not what you’d expect from a monarch who today is most commonly interviewed wearing tweed in country gardens. It was part of an early morning photo shoot on Cottesloe Beach in Perth, Western Australia, designed to pep up the image of a member of the royal family who was already seen as shy, reserved and uncomfortable in the limelight.

Photographer Kent Gavin threw a grenade into the set-up by asking a model, wearing only a bikini, to run up and kiss the prince as he emerged from the water, resulting in perhaps the most famous image of the day. This shot of Charles windsurfing, while certainly less headline-grabbing, is perhaps more revealing of its subject, displaying solid technique and a look of determination.

Sports such as windsurfing, sailing and skiing are often popular with those who have high-pressure jobs, since they are all-consuming, entirely engaging both the body and the mind – no scope for extraneous worries and their physical knock-ons.

Marella Agnelli is today best known as one of Truman Capote’s “Swans” — the coterie of New York socialites ruled by the formidable Vogue fashion editor Babe Paley that the author befriended and immortalised in a scandalous Esquire piece known as La Côte Basque (more recently adapted for television, starring Naomi Watts as Paley). The group epitomied 1960s style and elegance, and Agnelli was perhaps the most elegant of them all. Capote, as reported by his friend Katherine Graham, once said that if Paley and Agnelli “were both in Tiffany’s window, Marella would be more expensive.”

Agnelli was a tastemaker accomplished in photography and fabric design, and she also wrote furiously (for Vogue and books about gardening). She is pictured here in 1962 with fellow Swan Jackie Kennedy in Amalfi, from where the two would board Agneta , the yacht belonging to Marella’s husband, Gianni Agnelli. 

The industrialist and Fiat boss, at one time the richest man in Italy, loved beautiful things ­— and Agneta was certainly ravishing. The classic mahogany yawl designed by Knud Reimers , launched in 1950 and bought by Agnelli in 1959, features silver spruce spars, burgundy sails and a marble fireplace in the owner’s cabin. She provided both performance on the Med regatta racing circuit, and a suitably stylish retreat for the Agnellis and their illustrious guests.

The couple also amassed an impressive art collection, including commissions by Andy Warhol. But the most valuable jewel in Gianni’s life would always be Marella.

The self-made man and the princess

There's a lot to say about Mohamed Al-Fayed, the rags-to-ritches former owner of Harrods, who died in August 2023. By turns bullyish, generous and flamboyant, his "not-quite-cricket" business dealings blocked his reception into English high society – and a much-longed-for British passport (he was born in the slums of Alexandria in Egypt). But he is now perhaps best known for his association with Diana, Princess of Wales, who was girlfriend to his son, Dodi. After the pair were killed in a car crash in Paris, Al-Fayed's deep, bitter grief was plastered all over the front pages of the British tabloids.

The paparazzi image taken in Portofino, among the most famous informal "portraits" of the princess post-divorce, was taken on Al-Fayed's yacht Jonikal , seven days before the car crash in August 1997. She had visited the yacht with her sons just a month earlier, as part of a trip to Saint-Tropez, an experience that Prince Harry described in his 2023 memoir Spare: "Everything about that trip to Saint-Tropez was heaven. The weather was sublime, the food was tasty, Mummy was smiling."

The 63.8-metre yacht itself was commissioned by Al-Fayed and delivered in 1990. Built by Codecasa , Jonikal was sold not long after the tragedy. She has run through a couple of different owners and names – plus an interior refit by H2 Yacht Design – and was most recently sold by Lebanese telecoms magnate Bassim Haidar (she was asking €15,500,000). It was perhaps a bitter irony for Al-Fayed that the car crash that killed his son was the event that linked him indelibly with the royal family, from whom he at one time craved acceptance. The yacht, now known as Isabelle Princess of the Seas , is a part of that story, but perhaps a happier chapter.

High jinks on the Amazon

Taking a superyacht up the Amazon is a rare thing in 2023, but in 1987 it was practically unheard of. With its swift currents and constantly shifting sandbanks, the river is not for the faint heart. But nothing fazed Malcolm Forbes, the legendary publishing baron who ruled the New York scene during this era, more often than not from his 50-metre yacht, The Highlander . 

"He was many things – boss, bon vivant, raconteur, balloonist, columnist, happiest millionaire, leader of the pack, oyabun, el jefe, mentor, friend, super-this, mega-that; father, grandfather, father-in-law, uncle, cousin and ever the sparkling naughty boy," his son Bob once wrote.

Forbes would regale guests with his hair-raising adventures at glittering parties on board The Highlander. This portrait, taken from the Forbes family archives, shows a typically smiling Forbes in his signature blue blazer and grey flannels posing proudly in front of his beloved boat. Precise details of where and why this portrait have been lost in the mists of time – but look a little closer and there's a clue: a large scrape just above the waterline, most likely caused by tree trunks and root balls slamming into the boat as it pushed its way through the Amazon.

Turns out it wasn't the only time The Highlander battled nature on that expedition – in fact it took some quick thinking from a former king to free the boat's propellers as they later got tangled with some vines.

Sign up to BOAT Briefing email

Latest news, brokerage headlines and yacht exclusives, every weekday

By signing up for BOAT newsletters, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy .

More about this yacht

Similar yachts for sale, more stories, most popular, from our partners, sponsored listings.

We are your partner in helping you sell or charter your Yacht

Capture the essence of luxury yachting with our professional on-location video production services. Whether you’re selling a yacht or promoting a charter experience.

Photography

Our skilled photographers specialize in capturing every detail of your yacht, from interior and exterior shots to aerial and lifestyle photography. Perfect for elevating your charter yacht or sales broker listings.

Virtual Tours

Provide your clients with an immersive experience by offering state-of-the-art virtual tours of your motor yacht, sail yacht, or superyacht.

Stock Content

Enhance your marketing materials with our licensed stock content. Choose from a wide array of videos and photos to build a compelling brand presence.

Showcase your yacht’s features and crew profiles with our SSL-secured, mobile-friendly websites. Our designs are crafted to deliver a seamless digital experience that attracts and engages potential clients.

Social Media

Maximize your yacht’s visibility and connect with a broader audience through targeted social media strategies. 

OUR SERVICES

Elevating your business.

Trusted by leaders in the yachting industry, Yachting Image is dedicated to helping you achieve success in selling or chartering your yacht.

Yacht Video Production

Selling the yacht charter experience or the yacht itself. Yacht videos are done on location

Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.

Showcase your yacht’s video, photos, specifications, and crew profiles in one place. SSL Secured mobile & broker-friendly websites for charter yachts.

Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach & Europe.

Selling the yacht charter experience or the yacht itself. Yacht videos are done on location  Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.

the Clients who rely on our expertise

Global Availability

Testimonials, what our clients say about us.

Find Your Perfect Yacht:

We are your partner in helping you sell or charter your yacht.

Yachting Image delivers top-tier visual content for the yachting industry. We specialize in yacht photography, video production, virtual tours, and web design to help yacht owners, brokers, and charter companies stand out.

© 2023 — Yachting Image All Rights reserved

Subscribe for our newsletter

Stay updated with the latest in yacht marketing by subscribing to our newsletter.

+1 (954) 323-86-97

[email protected]

IN PHOTOS | Rescue efforts after yacht with 22 aboard sinks

Luxury yacht, struck by unexpectedly violent storm, sank off sicilian village in southern italy, social sharing.

New Mike and Hannah Lynch photos released by family as 'manslaughter' case opens after bodies found in yacht

Hannah was the last person unaccounted for after the luxury yacht bayesian sank off the coast of sicily.

• 13:44, 23 AUG 2024
• Updated 13:46, 23 AUG 2024

Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox

We have more newsletters

The family of Mike Lynch and his daughter have shared new photos of them today after it was revealed that the 18-year-old's body had been recovered from the wreckage of a luxury yacht off the coast of Sicily.

Hannah was the last person unaccounted for after the yacht Bayesian sank in a freak storm around half a mile off the coast of the village of Porticello on Monday morning. The Italian Coastguard confirmed the sixth and final missing person had been found this morning, with the body believed to be the teenager.

A green body bag was seen being brought to the port from the site of the sinking. Her billionaire tech tycoon father Mike also died in the tragedy, while investigators also recovered the bodies of Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judith, lawyer Christopher Morvillo and his wife Neda, on Wednesday following a search of the wreckage.

READ NEXT: Body believed to be Mike Lynch's daughter Hannah found in luxury yacht wreckage off Sicily

The body of chef Recaldo Thomas was found on Monday shortly after the yacht sank. Hannah's mother, Angela Bacares, was among the 15 survivors who were rescued from a lifeboat.

In a statement, Mike and Hannah’s family 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.”

The final discovery today came as unconfirmed reports in the Italian media claimed that prosecutors are set to announce a manslaughter investigation into the incident. Italian authorities said they were 'investigating shipwreck and multiple counts of culpable manslaughter, the Mirror reports.

The Prosecutor's Office of Termini Imerese, led by Ambrogio Cartosio, is working to find why the luxury vessel capsized. After her body was recovered, one of Hannah’s former teachers paid tribute to her, saying: “I will remember her for what she taught me: kindness, compassion and commitment.”

Jon Mitropoulos-Monk, head of English at Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith, said: “I’ve never taught someone who combined sky-high intellectual ability with warmth and enthusiasm in the way Hannah did.”

Her friend Katya Lewis also paid tribute to Hannah, saying: “Being with Hannah made me feel whole and happy. She is the most special friend anyone could ask for and I will always love Hannah."

The boat trip was a celebration of Mr Lynch’s acquittal in a fraud case in the US. The businessman, who founded software giant Autonomy in 1996, was cleared in June of carrying out a massive fraud relating to its 11 billion dollar (£8.64 billion) sale to US company Hewlett Packard.

Read more of today's top stories here

• National news
• Most Recent

Italian Prosecutor Opens Manslaughter Probe in Lynch Yacht Sinking

Termini Imerese, August 24, 2024. REUTERS/Louiza Vradi

TERMINI IMERESE, Italy (Reuters) -An Italian prosecutor has opened a manslaughter investigation into the deaths of British tech magnate Mike Lynch and six other people who were killed when a luxury yacht sank in stormy weather off Sicily this week.

The head of the public prosecutor's office of Termini Imerese, Ambrogio Cartosio, said that while the yacht had been hit by a very sudden meteorological event, it was "plausible" that crimes of multiple manslaughter and causing a shipwreck through negligence had been committed.

So far the investigation was not aimed at any individual person, he told a news conference.

Lynch's 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, was also among those who died when the family's 56-metre-long (184-foot) boat, the Bayesian, capsized during a fierce, pre-dawn storm on Monday off Porticello, near Palermo.

Fifteen people survived, including Lynch's wife, whose company owned the Bayesian, and the yacht's captain.

The disaster would be even more painful if the investigation showed it was caused "by behaviours that were not aligned to the responsibilities that everyone needs to take in shipping," Cartosio said.

The captain James Cutfield and the other survivors have been questioned this week by authorities. None of them have commented publicly on how the ship went down.

Raffaele Cammarano, another prosecutor speaking at the same news conference, said that when authorities questioned Cutfield he had been "extremely cooperative".

The sinking has puzzled naval marine experts who say a boat like the Bayesian, built by Italian high-end yacht manufacturer Perini, should have withstood the storm and in any case should not have sunk as quickly as it did.

Pulling the Bayesian out of the sea will help investigators determine what happened, but the operation is likely to be complex and costly. The wreck is lying apparently intact on its side at a depth of 50 metres (164 feet).

"It's in the interests of the owners and managers of the ship to salvage it," Cartosio said, adding "they have assured their full cooperation".

Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, which owns Perini, told Reuters this week the shipwreck was the result of a string of "indescribable, unreasonable errors" made by the crew, and ruled out any design or construction failings.

Cammarano said the meteorological event that hit the vessel was most likely a "downburst", a very strong downward wind that is an intense but relatively frequent event at sea, rather than a water spout which involves rotating winds like a whirlwind or tornado.

He said that the passengers were all probably asleep at the time of the storm which was why they failed to escape.

Palermo's Coast Guard Chief Raffaele Macauda, who attended the press conference, said there was no specific ban for the ship to be anchored where it was struck by the storm, as weather bulletins at the time were not reporting a major storm alert for the wide area of the southwestern Tyrrhenian Sea.

SEARCH FOR BODIES

Cartosio did not rule out that someone could be put under investigation before the ship is salvaged, on the basis of other evidence.

He said there was no legal obligation for the captain, crew and passengers to remain in Italy but authorities expected them to cooperate with the probe.

The prosecutor said it had not been possible to carry out alcohol or drug tests on the survivors as they were in a state of shock and needed treatments for injuries.

In the yacht, the bodies of the dead were found in the cabins on the left-hand side of the boat, where the passengers may have tried to search for remaining bubbles of air, the head of Palermo's Fire Brigade, Girolamo Bentivoglio Fiandra, said during Saturday's news conference.

Divers scoured the submerged vessel all week to recover bodies, with Hannah Lynch's the last to be recovered on Friday. The five other dead passengers were recovered on Wednesday and Thursday, while the body of the only crew member who died, onboard chef Recaldo Thomas, was found on Monday.

Mike Lynch, 59, was one of the UK's best-known tech entrepreneurs and had invited friends to join him on the yacht to celebrate his acquittal in June in a U.S. fraud trial.

Among those who also died in the wreck were Lynch's lawyer Chris Morvillo and Jonathan Bloomer, a Morgan Stanley banker who had appeared as a character witness in the case on his behalf.

(Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari and Gavin JonesEditing by Kirsten Donovan and Frances Kerry)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

Photos You Should See - July 2024

Join the Conversation

Tags: Italy , United Kingdom , Europe

America 2024

U.S. News Decision Points

Your trusted source for the latest news delivered weekdays from the team at U.S. News and World Report.

Sign in to manage your newsletters »

Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy .

You May Also Like

The 10 worst presidents.

U.S. News Staff Feb. 23, 2024

The Best Cartoons on Donald Trump

Aug. 26, 2024, at 2:16 p.m.

Joe Biden Behind The Scenes

Aug. 20, 2024

Trump Pledges Space National Guard

Laura Mannweiler Aug. 26, 2024

The Week in Cartoons Aug. 26-30

Aug. 26, 2024, at 2:20 p.m.

Economy, Campaign Enter Critical Period

Tim Smart Aug. 26, 2024

Trump on Defense After DNC

Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder Aug. 23, 2024

RFK Jr. Campaign Comes to Bizarre End

Aneeta Mathur-Ashton Aug. 23, 2024

The RFK Jr. Campaign's Weirdest Moments

Laura Mannweiler Aug. 23, 2024

Powell: Time to Lower Interest Rates

Tim Smart Aug. 23, 2024

Advertisement

Supported by

Questions for Investigators Trying to Unravel Mystery of Luxury Yacht’s Sinking

The investigators searching for answers about the shipwreck, leaving seven dead, face questions about extreme weather and possible human error or problems with the yacht itself.

• Share full article

By Alan Yuhas

More than 180 feet long, with a mast towering about 240 feet and a keel that could be lowered for greater stability, the Bayesian luxury yacht did not, in the eyes of its maker, have the vulnerabilities of a ship that would easily sink.

“It drives me insane,” Giovanni Costantino, the chief executive of the Italian Sea Group, which in 2022 bought the company that made the ship, said after its wreck last week. “Following all the proper procedures, that boat is unsinkable.”

But the $40 million sailing yacht sank within minutes and with fatal results: seven dead, including the British technology billionaire Michael Lynch, his teenage daughter, four of Mr. Lynch’s friends and a member of the crew. Fifteen people, including the captain, escaped on a lifeboat.

Mr. Lynch had invited family, friends and part of his legal team on a cruise in the Mediterranean to celebrate his acquittal in June of fraud charges tied to the sale of his company to the tech giant Hewlett-Packard.

The Italian authorities have opened a manslaughter investigation, searching for answers from the survivors, the manufacturer and the wreck itself. They face a range of questions and possible factors.

An ‘earthquake’ in the sky?

When the Bayesian sank around 4 a.m. on Aug. 19, the waters in its area, about half a mile off the Sicilian port of Porticello, were transformed by an extremely sudden and violent storm, according to fishermen, a captain in the area and meteorologists.

But what kind of storm is still a mystery, compounded by the fact that a sailing schooner anchored nearby did not have its own disaster. Also unclear is whether the crew was aware that the Italian authorities had issued general warnings about bad weather the night before.

Karsten Börner, the captain of the nearby passenger ship, said he’d had to steady his ship during “really violent” winds . During the storm, he said, the Bayesian seemed to disappear behind his ship.

Severe lightning and strong gusts were registered by the Italian Air Force’s Center for Aerospace Meteorology and Climatology, according to Attilio Di Diodato, its director. “It was very intense and brief in duration,” he said.

The yacht, he said, had most likely been hit by a fierce downburst — a blast of powerful wind surging down during a thunderstorm. His agency put out rough-sea warnings the previous evening, alerting sailors about possible storms.

Locals have said the winds “felt like an earthquake.” A fisherman in Porticello said that he had seen a flare go off in the early-morning hours. His brother ventured to the site once the weather had calmed about 20 minutes later, he said, finding only floating cushions.

The Italian authorities have so far declined to say whether investigators had seen any structural damage to the hull or other parts of the ship.

Open hatches or doors?

The boat executive, Mr. Costantino, has argued that the Bayesian was an extremely safe vessel that could list even to 75 degrees without capsizing. His company, the Italian Sea Group, in 2022 bought the yacht’s manufacturer, Perini Navi, which launched the ship in 2008.

Mr. Costantino said that if some of the hatches on the side and in the stern, or some of the deck doors, had been open, the boat could have taken on water and sunk. Standard procedure in such storms, he said, would be to switch on the engine, lift the anchor and turn the boat into the wind, lowering the keel for extra stability, closing doors and gathering the guests in the main hall inside the deck.

At a news conference on Saturday, almost a week after the sinking, investigators said the yacht had sunk at an angle , with its stern — where the heavy engine was — having gone down first. The wreck was found lying on its right side at the bottom of a bay, about 165 feet deep.

12 guests occupied the yacht’s six cabins. There were also 10 crew members.

Open hatches, doors and cabin windows could have let in water during a storm, according to the manufacturer.

Open hatches, doors and

cabin windows could

have let in water

during a storm,

according to the

manufacturer.

Source: Superyacht Times, YachtCharterFleet, MarineTraffic

By Veronica Penney

Water pouring into open hatches or doors could have contributed to the sinking, experts say, but that on its own may not account for the speed at which such a large boat vanished underwater.

Asked about the hatches at the news conference, the authorities declined to comment on whether they had been found open at the wreck.

The authorities have also not specified whether the boat had been anchored, whether it was under power at the time or whether its sails had been unfurled.

A retracted keel?

The Bayesian had a keel — the fin-like structure beneath a boat that can help stabilize it — that could be retracted or extended, according to its manufacturer. On some yachts, keels can be raised to let the large vessel dock in shallower water, and extended downward to help keep a boat level.

But like the hatches, the status of the keel alone may not explain why a large ship sank with such precipitous speed. Investigators have not disclosed what divers may have seen at the wreck, aside from saying divers had faced obstacles like furnishings and electrical wiring in tight quarters. Officials want to raise the wreck to better examine it, a process that may take weeks.

Human error?

Ambrogio Cartosio, the prosecutor in charge of the case, said at the news conference that it was “plausible” crimes had been committed, but that investigators had not zeroed in on any potential suspects.

“There could be responsibilities of the captain only,” he said. “There could be responsibilities of the whole crew. There could be responsibilities of the boat makers. Or there could be responsibilities of those who were in charge of surveilling the boat.”

It remains unclear what kind of emergency training or preparation took place before the disaster, or what kind of coordination there was during it. So far, none of the surviving crew members have made a public statement about what happened the night the ship sank.

Prosecutors said they want to ask more questions of the captain and crew, who have been in a Sicilian hotel with other survivors. They said that neither alcohol nor drug tests had been performed on crew members, and that they have been allowed to leave Italy.

Prosecutors also said they were also investigating why the captain, an experienced sailor, left the sinking boat while some passengers were still on board.

Besides possible manslaughter charges, the authorities are investigating the possibility of a negligently caused shipwreck.

The bodies of five passengers were found in one cabin, on the left side of the yacht, the authorities said. The five were most likely trying to flee to the higher side of the boat and were probably sleeping when the boat started to sink, they said.

Manslaughter Probe Launched After Bayesian Yacht Sinking Kills British Entrepreneur, Morgan Stanley Chief

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Italian authorities have launched a manslaughter investigation into the captain of the luxury Bayesian sailing yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily last week in a wreck that killed seven people, including Britsh tech entrepreneur Michael Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, and Morgan Stanley International director Jonathan Bloomer.

Italian Coast Guards take part in searches of missing off Porticello near Palermo, on Aug. 21, 2024.

Italian prosecutors will investigate James Cutfield, the captain of the Bayesian, for manslaughter after the ship sank in rough weather overnight on Aug. 18, multiple outlets reported Monday.

The investigation will look into if the crew of the ship appropriately handled the storm that hit the yacht before it capsized, if passengers were warned of imminent danger and if hatches on the ship were left ajar, which would have contributed to its quick sinking.

As part of the probe, the ship will be raised from the waters in which it sank later this year, CNN reported , at the cost of registered owner Angela Bacares, the wife and mother, respectively, of victims Michael and Hannah Lynch.

The Bayesian, named for a mathematical theory, is currently about 50 meters (164 feet) below the surface near the port of Porticello in Sicily, Italy, and sank less than a minute after it capsized.

Officials have said the passengers who died—Michael and Hannah Lynch, Jonathan and Judy Bloomer and Chris and Neda Morvillo—were likely asleep at the time of the sinking.

Notices of investigations into an incident must be issued in Italy before autopsies can be done on victims, Reuters reported , and the opening of a probe does not necessarily mean formal charges will follow.

Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here : joinsubtext.com/forbes.

Key Background

The Bayesian is a 184-foot luxury sailing yacht with a 246-foot aluminum mast—the tallest of its kind in the world. It is legally owned by Bacares and her late husband "had a lot of pride" in his yacht, a staff member told The Times of London. The Lynch/Bacares family was on board with seven guests and the boat was anchored when a storm hit overnight on Sunday, Aug. 18. The harsh weather included a " waterspout ," a tornado-like swirling column of air and water, that caused the vessel to top over and it was then quickly dragged underwater. Of the 10 passengers, six died in the capsizing and their bodies were recovered last week. There were also 12 crew members on board and one, Recaldo Thomas, also died. Among those resued were Bacares; Charlotte Golunski, a partner at Lynch's Invoke Capital, along with her partner and her baby daughter; lawyer Ayla Ronald and her partner.

Lynch, Bloomer and Morvillo were all involved in a massive fraud trial that saw Hewlett-Packard accuse Lynch and others of artificially inflating the value of his software company, Autonomy, before HP purchased it in 2011. Lynch was indicted for conspiracy and wire fraud in the sale but was acquitted alongside his co-defendant Stephen Chamberlain, who was killed in a car crash in the U.K. the same weekend the Bayesian sank in Italy. Bloomer testified for the defense at Lynch’s trial, according to the Associated Press , and Morvillo was one of the lawyers on the case.

Further Reading

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.