Specialist divers searching the wreck of a $40 million superyacht that sank off the coast of Sicily in August, killing seven people, including British tech mogul Mike Lynch, have called for increased security due to concerns over sensitive data reportedly stored on the vessel. The yacht, named Bayesian, lies 50 meters underwater, and investigators suspect it contains watertight safes holding encrypted hard drives with classified information, some linked to Western intelligence agencies, according to multiple sources who spoke to CNN.
The incident, which occurred during a violent storm, has prompted a criminal investigation into charges of manslaughter and negligent shipwreck. Lynch, who founded the cybersecurity company Darktrace and had ties to various intelligence services, was onboard with six others who perished. Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter Hannah, American attorney Chris Morvillo, his wife Neda, British banker Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy, and the yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas, were all victims of the tragic accident. Preliminary autopsy results suggest that several of the deceased suffocated in air pockets as the yacht sank rapidly.
The Bayesian yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily contained watertight safes that could have contained sensitive data related to the work of Western intelligence agencies. Divers examining the wreckage of the superyacht have asked for increased security on the vessel out of… pic.twitter.com/v9Sjuuf35K
— East_Calling (@East_Calling) September 21, 2024
Concerns have been raised that foreign governments, such as Russia and China, may attempt to access the safes, which are believed to hold highly sensitive data, including passcodes and other classified material. To prevent such breaches, additional security measures, both above and below water, have been implemented. The Italian civil protection authority, assisting with the investigation, confirmed that the request for heightened surveillance has been accepted.
The sinking occurred just hours before the death of Lynch’s business partner, Stephen Chamberlain, who was in a coma following a car accident. Lynch had planned to cut short the cruise to return to the UK upon learning of Chamberlain’s condition.
As divers continue to survey the wreckage, authorities aim to recover personal effects and navigation data to determine the cause of the ship’s sudden sinking. However, raising the vessel presents a delicate challenge due to the risk of spilling 18,000 liters of fuel and oil still on board. The recovery costs will fall to Lynch’s widow, as stipulated by Italian maritime law.
The tragedy has garnered widespread attention, especially given Lynch’s prominent role in the tech and intelligence communities
Via CNN
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