British tech magnate Mike Lynch is one of six people missing after a superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily, The Independent understands.
The 59-year-old is known for founding Invoke Capital and Autonomy Corporation and made headlines after being acquitted of charges in a high-profile fraud case.
Mr Lynch was on the boat, called the Bayesian, which sank in bad weather near the Sicilian capital Palermo in the early hours of Monday morning.
There were 12 guests and 10 crew on board – 15 of whom were rescued, including Mr Lynch's wife, The Independent understands.
Sources have also confirmed that Mr Lynch is the owner of the vessel.
According to local media, a body has been found, believed to be that of the superyacht's chef. Photos show a body bag being brought to shore, where ambulances are stationed.
Mr Lynch and his wife Angela Bacares, once dubbed the 'British Bill Gates', were valued at £852 million by the Sunday Times Rich List in 2023.
His disappearance following the sinking of the superyacht comes just weeks after he was acquitted by a US jury of all charges relating to the sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011.
Mr. Lynch founded Autonomy in 1996 using technology he developed as a student at Cambridge. HP alleged, just a year after the sale, that Mr. Lynch had used accounting tricks to artificially inflate its value before the sale
Last May he was extradited to the US, where he was acquitted of all 15 charges relating to the $11bn (£8.64bn) purchase of his company.
Mr Lynch told Radio 4 that being acquitted was “indescribable” and believed he could only clear his name because of his vast wealth.
He said that even if most people sold all their assets, they would run out of money to cover legal costs within a few months, a situation he said “has to change.”
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Born near Chelmsford, Essex, to a nurse and a firefighter, Mr Lynch said his father regretted not having the chance to go to university. He told LeadersIn: “He realised how important education is, so that was something that was very much encouraged in my house.”
At the age of 11 he was awarded a scholarship to Bancroft's School in Woodford Green, before studying natural sciences at the University of Cambridge.
He set up his first company in the 1980s, with a £2,000 loan from a band's manager, producing audio products for the recording industry. The guard reported.
Mr Lynch has received a range of honours, including being awarded an OBE for services to business in 2006. That same year he was appointed to the BBC Board of Governors. He was also elected to former Prime Minister David Cameron's Science and Technology Board in 2011.
A spokesman for Dr. Lynch declined to comment.
