Latest on Mike Lynch’s yacht sinking: Captain refuses to answer questions as two crew members face investigation

British tech mogul Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among those initially unidentified after his luxury yacht, the Paisian, sank in a storm off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday morning.

After a decade-long legal battle that saw him extradited to the US to face an $11 billion fraud case, Mr Lynch celebrated by inviting his close friends, colleagues and those who helped him in his legal team on board his boat as a gesture of gratitude.

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Two other crew members of the Bayzian are being investigated for manslaughter, including the ship’s engineer and a sailor.

Tim Parker Easton is suspected of failing to protect the yacht’s engine room and operating systems, while Matthew Griffiths was on watch duty on the night of the incident, a source said.

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Prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio, who is heading the investigation, said his team would examine every possible element of liability including those borne by the captain, the crew, individuals responsible for supervision and the yacht’s manufacturer.

The legal team also said its investigation would take time and require the wreckage of the Bayezid yacht to be recovered from the sea. It is currently lying on its starboard side, at a depth of about 50 metres (164 feet).

Two more crew members of the luxury yacht “Baizian” are under investigation for manslaughter after seven people were killed when the luxury yacht sank in a storm off Sicily last week.

Italian prosecutors are investigating two other crew members in connection with the sinking of the ship, along with its captain, after the British-flagged Albizia capsized on August 19 while anchored off northern Sicily, a judicial source said on Wednesday.

Ship engineer Tim Parker-Eaton and seaman Matthew Griffiths are also under investigation for the same offences. The source said Parker-Eaton is suspected of failing to protect the yacht’s engine room and operating systems, while Griffiths was on watch duty on the night of the incident.

An investigation does not mean a conviction, nor does it necessarily mean formal charges.

Good evening, that’s all for today’s coverage.

The ship “Bayzian” sent its last signal before sinking via the Automatic Identification System (AIS) at 0206 GMT, according to the Marine Traffic website.

A red signal was fired into the sky to alert rescue services of the emergency at 0238 GMT, more than 30 minutes after the boat sank, prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio said.

The boat sank from the stern and was lying on its starboard side at a depth of about 50 metres (164 feet), said Palermo fire brigade chief Girolamo Bentivoglio Fiandra.

He added that the bodies of the dead were found in the cabins on the left side of the boat, where passengers may have tried to search for remaining air bubbles.

Prosecutor Cammarano said the passengers were all likely asleep during the storm, which is why they failed to escape.

The yacht’s captain, James Cutfield, has been asked to appoint a lawyer after being questioned by Italian prosecutors investigating the sinking of the yacht on Sunday.

The 51-year-old has been placed under investigation for manslaughter and shipwreck, according to his lawyer, Aldo Mordiglia.

Mr Mordiglia is one of two lawyers representing the New Zealander. The other is lawyer Giovanni Rizzotti of Palermo.

Italian media reports said Mr Mordiglia, from Genoa, specialises in maritime and international law.

captain Bayesian His lawyer said his client chose not to answer prosecutors’ questions when he was spoken to for a third time on Tuesday.

James Cutfield, a 51-year-old New Zealand national, is under investigation for manslaughter and causing a shipwreck.

“The captain has exercised his right to remain silent for two fundamental reasons,” lawyer Giovanni Rizzotti told reporters. “First, he is very tired. Second, we were only appointed on Monday, and in order to be able to present a comprehensive and correct defense, we need to have access to a set of data that we do not have at the moment.”

Being placed under investigation does not necessarily mean that a person has been convicted or charged. Prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio said his team would examine every possible element of liability, including those of the captain, the crew, the individuals responsible for supervision and the yacht’s manufacturer.

The Times A lawyer for Mr. Catfield said the captain was “understandably very upset” after Monday’s ordeal.

Giselda Vagnoni More in this report:

The sinking of the Baysian off the coast of Sicily has made headlines around the world, with interest heightened when it was revealed that British tech mogul Mike Lynch was among those on board.

It turned out that the cruise was a celebration by Mr. Lynch with friends, colleagues and his legal team after winning a decade-long legal battle.

Here’s who was on board the ship during the tragedy:

Leaving doors and hatches open all night on the luxury yacht “Baizian” may have caused it to sink in Italy, a sailing expert has said.

Sam Jefferson, editor of Sailing Today magazine, believes the ship’s massive mast also likely contributed to the fatal accident.

“I would say the boat was hit hard by the wind and flipped on its side,” Jefferson told the Palestinian news agency.

“I imagine all the doors were open because it was hot, so there were enough holes and doors open that it would have filled with water very quickly and sunk like that.

The reason it was so firmly fixed was because the mast was so massive.

“It was like a sail. It pushed the boat hard on its side.

“The boat filled with water before she could get back.

“This is all just speculation, but it’s the only logical explanation.”