The Italian prosecutor’s office announced Monday that James Cutfield, the captain of the luxury Bayesian yacht which sank near Porticello off Sicily’s coast last week, will face an investigation for manslaughter and negligent shipwreck.
According to CNN, Cutfield, 51, was in charge of the 56-meter (184-foot) yacht when it capsized during a severe storm on Monday, resulting in the deaths of six passengers, including British billionaire Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah. The yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas, is also presumed dead.
Other victims included Jonathan Bloomer, a director at Morgan Stanley International, prominent American attorney Chris Morvillo, and their spouses, Judy Bloomer and Neda Morvillo. Morvillo, a partner at Clifford Chance, played a key role in winning a fraud case against Lynch in June.
The storm, caused by a waterspout—a type of tornado—is suspected to have overturned the yacht.
However, Italian authorities are probing whether the crew’s handling of the vessel contributed to the disaster. Cutfield, a New Zealand native, is not in custody but is prohibited from leaving Italy during the investigation.
The prosecutors said the victims were likely asleep during the storm, which may have prevented their escape.
Reports suggested that five of the bodies were found in a single room, possibly while they were seeking refuge as the ship sank.
Investigators are still determining the specifics of the sinking, including the presence of a black box and whether any ship hatches were left open, which could have contributed to the rapid sinking.
Salvage operations are planned to recover the Bayesian, named after the statistical theory that brought Lynch his wealth. Italian law mandates that the cost of raising the ship be covered by the owner.
Since Angela Bacares’ company owns the vessel, she is responsible for arranging the salvage operation. Once raised, the ship will be handed over to Italian authorities for further investigation.
Prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio indicated that after the yacht is salvaged, investigators will examine whether the hatches were open during the storm and whether the ship’s chief mate was present on the bridge at the time of the sinking.
Additionally, they will look into whether any warnings were given to the passengers.
