the yacht starship

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Yacht StarShip

• 603 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL 33602
• (813) 223-7999

Set sail on the waterways of Tampa Bay and Clearwater with Yacht StarShip and delight in a different kind of dining experience! When you come aboard our yachts, you can expect unmatched service, exquisite views and delicious, freshly-prepared dishes. Experience stunning Clearwater sunsets or the bright city lights of Downtown Tampa as you sip and savor your way through our upscale cuisine and cocktails. 

Yacht StarShip’s fleet of four luxury yachts are perfect for any size event from 25 – 600 guests and feature top quality service, breathtaking views, entertainment, and award-winning cuisine. Our all-inclusive event packages make planning easy seabreezy. Whether you want to tie the knot on a yacht, or create a sea of memories with a social celebration, our dedicated crew is here for you.

Make your reservation today! 

As America's first three-diamond rated dining yacht, Yacht StarShip offers the best views on the waters of Tampa Bay and award-winning cuisine. A dining experience on the 600-passenger Yacht StarShip, or the 150-passenger Yacht StarShip II is set to impress. Available for public or private cruises from Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and other local ports. Reserve your table today!

Dining/Nightlife

• Cuisine: American
• Days/Hours of Operation: Cruise dates and times vary. Call 813-223-7999 for information.
• Dining Reservations: Required
• Number of Indoor Seats: 600
• Private/Group Room Capacity: 600
• Style: Fine Dining
• Total Restaurant Capacity: 600

Dining & Entertainment

Parking facilities, things to do & see.

• Average length of Stay/Tour: Stay 3 hours
• American Express
• Largest Banquet Capacity: 600
• Largest Classroom Capacity: 300
• Largest Reception Capacity: 600
• Largest Theatre Capacity: 300
• Outdoor Facilities Sq Ft: 3000
• Total Capacity (Reception): 600
• Total Number of Meeting Rooms: 1
• Total Square Footage: 6000

Facility Info

Meeting facility.

• Total SqFt.: 6
• Theatre Capacity: 300
• Banquet Capacity: 600
• Classroom Capacity: 300
• Reception Capacity: 600

Yacht StarShip’s four yachts are perfect for any size event from 2 – 600 guests and feature top quality service, breathtaking views, entertainment, and award-winning cuisine. Yacht StarShip is America’s First Dining Yacht to be recognized by AAA with a three-diamond rating and is the winner of “Best Event Facility” in 2010 by South & Central Tampa Tribune readers.

We offer alternate docking locations throughout Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, St. Pete Beach, Sarasota, and Tarpon Springs to accommodate your event. Additional charges may apply.

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TAMPA BAY'S PREMIER DINING YACHTS

Tampa   •   st. petersburg   •   clearwater.

603 Channelside Drive Tampa, FL 33602

Click Here to Make  Your Reservations!

Dinner Cruises

Whether its an intimate evening for two or an exciting group night out, Yacht StarShip offers all the ingredients to make it memorable. Your dining experience will rank in the top 28% of all Restaurants; Yacht Starship is America's first Three diamond rated Dining Yacht by AAA. Your evening will include:

​ Boarding: Upon boarding, our photographer will capture a welcome aboard photo for you and your guests. You will then receive a friendly greeting from our Captain and Crew.

Private Seating: Upon entering the dining room you will be greeted by the Dining Room Manager. You will be directed to your private reserved table. All seats have a great view, however you can purchase a guaranteed window seat.

Summer Buffet: Enjoy freshly prepared cuisine from our Executive Chef and Galley Staff. A selection of dining options will take your tastebuds on an international tour of cuisine while cruising Tampa Bay! The entree menu changes seasonally, to see our current menu click on menu icon below.

Dancing: After dining, dance the night away as the Cruise Director plays the romantic classics and latest invigorating dance tunes. Requests are welcomed!

Spectacular Views: Enjoy a Champagne toast while taking in a Spectacular Florida West Coast Sunset or enjoy an After-Dinner Drink under the Moonlit Bay while looking for shooting stars.

All of our food is prepared to order and we can accommodate most dietary restrictions including gluten free, dairy free, and vegetarian. If you have any food allergies, please let us know at the time of reservation and the chef may prepare something tailored to your needs. 

Lunch Cruises

Trade the mundane for the magnificent when you board our signature Lunch Cruise, accented by a narrated tour of historical Tampa sites and the Port of Tampa. Your dining experience will rank in the top 28% of all Restaurants; Yacht StarShip is America's first Three diamond rated Dining Yacht by AAA. Your Lunch will include:​

​ ​ Spectacular Views: Enjoy the best views of Tampa only possible from the water! View abundant wildlife from Pelicans to pods of Dolphins! 

Brunch Cruises

Yacht StarShip offers special event brunch cruises throughout the year. Please check our Special Events page for information on the following brunch cruises:

No brunches currently scheduled. 

Check this page periodically as we may add more brunch cruises throughout the year!

Sunday-Friday Dinner Cruise

Adult: $69.95​​, child: $39.95​, saturday dinner cruise, adult: $79.95​​, brunch/lunch cruise, adult: $49.95​​, child: $29.95​.

*Your Yacht StarShip Dinner Cruise tickets include a 2.5-hour cruise, reserved table, freshly prepared buffet, excellent water views of Tampa Bay at sunset, live DJ entertainment, and dancing on the promenade deck. Your ticket also includes compensation for your service staff for your meal service. Beverages are additional and may be purchased onboard. Standard restaurant gratuities apply for beverage (onboard purchases only). Please call us for more information on specific cruise date. For pricing on special events or holiday cruises, please refer to our Upcoming Events page or call our reservations line at 813-223-7999. For group rates and private events please inquire here.  This rate is not available for holiday or special event cruises. 

$$ Compare Our Pricing $$​

Summer Sale Adult: $49.95

Summer Sale Adult: $59.95

Summer Sale Adult: $39.95

Gift Certificates

See how Yacht StarShip compares to other national dining cruise markets as of 6/7/2016. 

City                               Weekday                 Saturday

Yacht starship, tampa      $69.95                     $79.95, new york                       $97.00-$134.00         $144.90, chicago                          $87.90-$114.90         $134.90.

Boston                           $99.90                    $119.90

Washington DC               $104.90                   $124.90

​New Orleans                   $79.00                    $79.00

Philadelphia                    $69.90                    $89.90

​Naples                            $61.50                    $61.50

Dinner for Two

*All Gift Certificates will be e-mailed to the purchaser's e-mail address after the transaction is complete in the form of a PDF attachment. There will not be any other hard-copy certificates mailed out. Gift certificates include a 2.5 hour cruise, 3-course seated meal (or buffet), and entertainment for two passengers. All Yacht StarShip tickets and Gift Certificates now include compensation for staff for meal service in ticket price. There is no longer an $8 per person gratuity to be paid on board for meal service.  Beverages and onboard purchases are additional. Standard restaurant gratuities apply for appetizers and beverage (onboard purchases only). Gift Certificates are valid one year from purchase date. Limited to parties of 8 on regularly scheduled dinner cruises. Not valid for groups. Not valid on holidays or special event cruises. Certificates are non-refundable. Not valid in December. Offer is valid while supplies last. Subject to cancellation without notice.

Yacht StarShip

About this vendor, pricing details, amenities + details.

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On WeddingWire since 2011

Yacht StarShip is a cruise-ship wedding venue located in Tampa, Florida. This company features an array of dining cruises and luxury yachts for couples to host their romantic celebrations right at sea. The attentive on-site staff and all-inclusive packages ensure that soon-to-be-weds will have a stress-free, unforgettable voyage.

Facilities and Capacity

Yacht StarShip has four luxury yachts to choose from, each featuring both outdoor and indoor event spaces. They make an ideal setting for a variety of celebrations, from ceremonies with 25 close friends and family to receptions with 300 guests. A couple's yacht will go along the Tampa Bay or Clearwater Beach as they enjoy their first day as newlyweds. The open-air spaces give couples the chance to say "I do" with the Downtown Tampa skyline as a backdrop. Elegant decor items will be provided to add a sophisticated touch to your special day.

Services Offered

Couples will have a variety of packages to choose from, each with different amenities to suit their vision and budget. A wedding coordinator will be present during your rehearsal dinner and wedding day, to make sure everything goes according to plan. The onsite catering team customizes each soon-to-be-wed's menu to feature their favorite dishes and flavors. From your hors d'oevres to your dessert display, to your cocktail menu, they will work to make sure all of your guests have an enjoyable evening. Yacht StarShip also has different enhancements to complete a couple's dream day, including:

• Specialty linens
• Ice sculptures
• Custom ring buoys

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue, do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue, which of the following are included in starting site fee, which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering, which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service, what is the minimum number of guests required to book your venue, how many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer, describe your venue:, what kind of settings are available, which of the following wedding events does your venue service, what event services do you offer, what catering services do you offer, what bar services do you provide, what event items are available, what food and beverage items are available, what transportation and access is available, what months are included in your peak season, what months are included in your off-peak season.

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Reviews of Yacht StarShip

• Quality of service 4.8 out of 5 rating 4.8
• Average response time 4.8 out of 5 rating 4.8
• Professionalism 4.8 out of 5 rating 4.8
• Value 4.8 out of 5 rating 4.8
• Flexibility 4.8 out of 5 rating 4.8

Absolutely Amazing

Awesome Event Packages

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Real Weddings

Chris is a Yacht StarShip Wedding Pro with over 20 years in the industry. From the moment you meet Chris you'll fall in love with her attention to detail and amazing customer service. Our couples adore working with Chris from booking to planning a wedding event she's the best in the business!

Professional Network & Endorsements

The Yacht Starship is such a unique event space will gorgeous views! We love working with their team of professionals. We've photographed events large and small and would highly recommend them!

We love the Yacht Starship! Every event, no matter the type or size, is given the utmost attention. There is nothing left to chance, the best food, beautiful sites, wonderful event coordinators, what's not to love?

We are BLOWN AWAY by our experience! The staff was so professional and sweet - class act, five-star service! And this is after they serviced a wedding earlier in the day! And the FOOD! Omgosh we were so pleasantly surprised! We eat a lot of catered food obviously lol and did not expect much for the food - but WOW were we wrong! Everything was DELICIOUS! Our favorites were the homemade salad dressing, prime rib and the creamy tomato soup. And the bread pudding!!!!! My goodness we felt spoiled! We are so very grateful for this experience. We truly had a lovely evening enjoying this experience and of course the beautiful boat ride and scenery. We even made it to the dance floor!

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Lynch Yacht Sinking Off Sicily Proves as Baffling as It Is Tragic

As bodies were recovered, the authorities and experts wondered how a $40 million, stable and secure vessel could have sunk so quickly.

• Share full article

By Emma Bubola and Michael J. de la Merced

Emma Bubola reported from Porticello, Italy, and Michael J. de la Merced from London.

Two months after being cleared in a bruising legal battle over fraud charges, the British tech mogul Mike Lynch celebrated his freedom with a cruise. He invited his family, friends and part of his legal team on board his luxury sailing yacht, a majestic 180-foot vessel named Bayesian after the mathematical theorem around which he had built his empire.

On Sunday night, after a tour of the Gulf of Naples, including Capri, and volcanic islands in the Eolian archipelago, the boat anchored half a mile off the Sicilian coast in Porticello, Italy. It chose a stretch of water favored by the Phoenicians thousands of years ago for its protection from the mistral wind and, in more recent times, by the yachts of tech billionaires. The boat was lit “like a Christmas tree,” local residents said, standing out against the full moon.

But about 4 a.m., calamity unfolded. A violent and fast storm hit the area with some of the strongest winds locals said they had ever felt. Fabio Cefalù, a fisherman, said he saw a flare pierce the darkness shortly after 4.

Minutes later, the yacht was underwater. Only dozens of cushions from the boat’s deck and a gigantic radar from its mast floated on the surface of the sea, fishermen said.

In all, 22 people were on board, 15 of whom were rescued. Six bodies — five passengers and the ship’s cook — had been recovered by Thursday afternoon, including that of Mr. Lynch, an Italian government official said, adding that the search was continuing for his daughter.

It was a tragic and mystifying turn of events for Mr. Lynch, 59, who had spent years seeking to clear his name and was finally inaugurating a new chapter in his life. Experts wondered how a $40 million yacht, so robust and stable could have been sunk by a storm near a port within minutes.

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

The aura of misfortune only deepened when it emerged that Stephen Chamberlain, 52, a former vice president of finance for Mr. Lynch’s former company and a co-defendant in the fraud case, was killed two days earlier, when he was hit by a car while jogging near his house in England.

Since June, the two men had been in a jubilant mood. A jury in San Francisco had acquitted both on fraud charges that could have sent them to prison for two decades. There were hugs and tears, and they and their legal teams went for a celebratory dinner party at a restaurant in the city, said Gary S. Lincenberg, a lawyer for Mr. Chamberlain.

The sea excursion was meant as a thank-you by Mr. Lynch to those who had helped him in his legal travails. Among the guests was Christopher J. Morvillo, 59, a scion of a prominent New York family of lawyers who had represented Mr. Lynch for 12 years. He and his wife, Neda, 57, were among the missing.

So, too, was Jonathan Bloomer, 70, a veteran British insurance executive who chaired Morgan Stanley International and the insurer Hiscox.

The body of the ship’s cook, Recaldo Thomas, was recovered. All the other crew members survived. Among them was Leo Eppel, 19, of South Africa, who was on his first yacht voyage working as a deck steward, said a friend, who asked not to be identified.

Since the sinking, the recovery effort and investigation have turned the tiny port town of Porticello, a quiet enclave where older men sit bare-chested on balconies, into what feels like the set of a movie.

Helicopters have flown overhead. Ambulances have sped by with the sirens blaring. The Coast Guard has patrolled the waters off shore, within sight of a cordoned-off dock that had been turned into an emergency headquarters.

On Wednesday afternoon, a church bell tolled after the first body bag was loaded into an ambulance, a crowd watching in silence.

The survivors were sheltering in a sprawling resort near Porticello, with a view of the shipwreck spot, and had so far declined to comment.

Attilio Di Diodato, director of the Italian Air Force’s Center for Aerospace Meteorology and Climatology, said that the yacht had most likely been hit by a fierce “down burst” — when air generated within a thunderstorm descends rapidly — or by a waterspout , similar to a tornado over water.

He added that his agency had put out rough-sea warnings the previous evening, alerting sailors about storms and strong winds. Locals said the winds “felt like an earthquake.”

Mr. Costantino, the boat executive, said the yacht had been specifically designed for having a tall mast — the second-tallest aluminum mast in the world. He said the Bayesian was an extremely safe and secure boat that could list even to 75 degrees without capsizing.

But he 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, is 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.

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

The New York Times attempted to reach the captain, James Cutfield, who had survived, for comment through social media, his brother and the management company of the yacht (which did not hire the crew), but did not make contact.

So far none of the surviving crew members have made a public statement about what happened that night.

Fabio Genco, the director of Palermo’s emergency services, who treated some of the survivors, said that the victims had recounted feeling as if the boat was being lifted, then suddenly dropped, with objects from the cabins falling on them.

The Italian Coast Guard said it had deployed a remotely operated vehicle that can prowl underwater for up to seven hours at a depth of more than 980 feet and record videos and images that they hoped would help them reconstruct the dynamics of the sinking. Such devices were used during the search and rescue operations of the Titan vessel that is believed to have imploded last summer near the wreckage of the Titanic.

After rescuers broke inside the yacht, they struggled to navigate the ropes and many pieces of furniture cluttering the vessel, said Luca Cari, a spokesman for Italy’s national firefighter corps.

Finally, as of Thursday morning, they had managed to retrieve all but one of the missing bodies, and hopes of finding the missing person alive were thin. “Can a human being be underwater for two days?” Mr. Cari asked.

What was certain was that Mr. Lynch’s death was yet another cruel twist of fate for a man who had spent years seeking to clear his name.

He earned a fortune in technology and was nicknamed Britain’s Bill Gates. But for more than a decade, he had been treated as anything but a respected tech leader.

He was accused by Hewlett-Packard, the American technological pioneer that had bought his software company, Autonomy, for $11 billion, of misleading it about his company’s worth. (Hewlett-Packard wrote down the value of the transaction by about $8.8 billion, and critics called it one of the worst deals of all time .) He had been increasingly shunned by the British establishment that he sought to break into after growing up working-class outside London.

He was extradited to San Francisco to face criminal charges, and confined to house arrest and 24-hour surveillance on his dime. In a townhouse in the Pacific Heights neighborhood — with security people he jokingly told associates were his “roommates” — he spent his mornings talking with researchers whom he funded personally on new applications for artificial intelligence. Afterward, he devoted hours to discussing legal strategy with his team.

Despite his persistent claims of innocence, even those close to Mr. Lynch had believed his odds of victory were slim. Autonomy’s chief financial officer, Sushovan Hussain, was convicted in 2018 of similar fraud charges and spent five years in prison.

During Mr. Lynch’s house arrest, his brother and mother died. His wife, Angela Bacares, frequently flew over from England, and she became a constant presence in the San Francisco courtroom during the trial.

After he was finally acquitted, Mr. Lynch had his eye on the future. “I am looking forward to returning to the U.K. and getting back to what I love most: my family and innovating in my field,” he said.

Elisabetta Povoledo contributed reporting from Pallanza, Italy.

Emma Bubola is a Times reporter based in Rome. More about Emma Bubola

Michael J. de la Merced has covered global business and finance news for The Times since 2006. More about Michael J. de la Merced

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Divers recover 2 bodies following sinking of luxury yacht off Sicily

Wednesday, 21 Aug 2024

Rescue personnel operate in search for the missing, including British entrepreneur Mike Lynch, in the area where a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Porticello, near the Sicilian city of Palermo, Italy, August 21, 2024. REUTERS/Louiza Vradi

ROME (Reuters) - Divers scouring the wreck of the luxury yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily have found the bodies of two of the six passengers who were missing, a source close to the matter said on Wednesday.

The boat, owned by the wife of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, was carrying 22 passengers and crew and was anchored off the port of Porticello, near Palermo, when it capsized during a fierce, pre-dawn storm on Monday.

Rescue teams did not immediately give the names or the sex of the drowned people, who are the second and third victims of the shipwreck to be found.

The body of the yacht's cook, Recaldo Thomas, was located shortly after the vessel sank.

(Reporting by Giselda Vagnoni, writing by Gavin Jones, editing by Giulia Segreti)

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Tributes paid to Mike Lynch and daughter Hannah after deaths in yacht sinking

Mr Lynch and his daughter were among seven people who died after the Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily early on Monday morning.

Friends have paid tribute to the “brilliant” Mike Lynch and his “fiercely intelligent” 18-year-old daughter after the pair were confirmed to have died in a luxury yacht sinking.

Mr Lynch and his daughter Hannah were among seven people who died after the Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily early on Monday morning.

The tech mogul, 59, was the creator of software giant Autonomy and had been cleared in June of carrying out a massive fraud related to its 11 billion dollar (£8.64 billion) sale to US company Hewlett Packard.

Close friend and colleague Andrew Kanter described Mr Lynch as “instantly inspiring” and said “he will be sorely missed”.

In the tribute, one of six released on Friday through PR firm Tancredi, Mr Kanter said: “Mike was the most brilliant mind and caring person I have ever known.

“Over nearly a quarter century I had the privilege of working beside someone unrivalled in their understanding of technology and business.

“There is simply no other UK technology entrepreneur of our generation who has had such an impact on so many people.

“His passion for life, knowledge and all those around him was instantly inspiring to everyone he met, and he will be sorely missed.”

Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo were also confirmed to have died after the sinking.

Sushovan Hussain, a close friend of Mr Lynch and former chief financial officer of Autonomy, said he was “utterly devastated” over the “tragic” incident.

“My wife and I are utterly devastated by the deaths of so many of our dear friends. No words can express our sorrow,” he said.

“I have known Mike for over 40 years, since our school days, and for most of that time our lives have been inextricably linked.

“I was thrilled when he was acquitted and now his departure leaves an unfillable hole in my life.

“We have known Hannah since her birth, and for her to be taken on the precipice of her life is cruel beyond belief. Our hearts bleed for Angela & her remaining daughter.

Mr Hussain also paid tribute to Stephen Chamberlain, Mr Lynch’s co-defendant in the US fraud trial, who died after he was hit by a car on Saturday.

He said: “Steve was by my side for many years, and I had the honour of calling him, Jonathan, Judy and Chris my good friends.

“It is truly impossible to fathom how they can all be gone over such a short period. It is tragic beyond words.”

Mr Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, had recently finished her A-levels and was due to study at Oxford University.

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

“She lit up the classroom with her energy, passion for learning and sheer intelligence (though never with a hint of arrogance).”

“I will remember her for what she taught me: kindness, compassion and commitment,” he added.

Her friend Katya Lewis also paid tribute to Hannah, saying: “Being with Hannah made me feel whole and happy.

“She had a warm and beautiful soul.

“She is the most special friend anyone could ask for and I will always love Hannah.”

Patrick Jacob, a family friend, said the teenager was “charming and ferociously intelligent with an insatiable thirst for life and knowledge”.

“We have lost one of our brightest stars whose future held so much promise,” he added.

“Her loss is unbearable.”

Gracie Lea, a school classmate, added that the 18-year-old was “sincere, dedicated, fiercely intelligent and genuinely kind”.

The Bayesian was moored around half a mile off the coast of Porticello when it sank as the area was hit by a storm.

The wreckage of the Bayesian is resting on the seabed off the coast at a depth of 50 metres (164ft).

A helicopter, remotely controlled underwater vehicles, naval units and cave divers have been used in the search.

The final body, believed to be that of Mr Lynch’s daughter, was recovered on Friday.

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Home » WRAP: UK tycoon Mike Lynch’s daughter seventh, final victim of Sicily yacht sinking

WRAP: UK tycoon Mike Lynch’s daughter seventh, final victim of Sicily yacht sinking

Divers searching a sunken superyacht off Sicily recovered the body of the teenage daughter of UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch on Friday.

Divers searching a sunken superyacht off Sicily recovered the body of the teenage daughter of UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch on Friday, the seventh and final victim of a tragedy in which the businessman also perished.

Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah had been among six passengers reported missing after the “Bayesian” went down off the north coast of the Italian island in a storm early on Monday morning.

Mike Lynch had invited friends and family onto the yacht

After Hannah’s body was brought ashore on Friday, her family issued a statement describing their “unspeakable grief”.

“The Lynch family is devastated, in shock and is being comforted and supported by family and friends,” it said.

Search teams had recovered the bodies of four of Lynch’s friends on Wednesday, and that of the entrepreneur himself on Thursday.

The body of a man believed to be the yacht’s chef had been found a few hours after the sailing ship sank.

Lynch, 59, had invited friends and family onto the sailing boat to celebrate his recent acquittal in a massive US fraud case.

But the 56-metre (185-foot) British-flagged yacht was struck by a waterspout – akin to a mini-tornado – before dawn on Monday as it was anchored off Porticello, near Palermo.

It sank within minutes and now lies on the sea bed 50 metres down.

‘Heartbroken’

Hannah had just finished her end-of-school exams and had a place to study English literature at Oxford University.

Friends described her as warm, loving and “charming and ferociously intelligent”, according to one of the tributes issued by the family.

Lynch, once dubbed the British “Bill Gates”, was “the most brilliant mind and (most) caring person I have ever known”, said another.

The businessman had been acquitted on all charges in a San Francisco court in June after he was accused of an $11 billion fraud linked to the sale of his software firm Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard.

US lawyer Chris Morvillo , a partner at top law firm Clifford Chance who worked on the trial, also died in the sinking, along with his wife Neda .

Morvillo’s firm Clifford Chance paid tribute to the couple, saying all were “heartbroken at the tragic passing… and still coming to terms with this terrible loss”.

The bodies of Jonathan Bloomer , the chair of Morgan Stanley International, and his wife Judy , were also found.

The Bloomer family said they were suffering “unimaginable grief” for a couple who had been together for five decades.

“Our only comfort is that they are still together now,” the family said.

Many questions remain about why the yacht sank, and so quickly, when other boats nearby were unaffected.

Italian prosecutors have opened a probe and will hold a press conference on Saturday.

On Thursday the head of the company which built the boat said the tragedy could have been avoided.

“Everything that was done reveals a very long summation of errors,” said Giovanni Costantino, head of the Italian Sea Group, which includes the Perini Navi company that built Bayesian in 2008.

Bad weather forecast

He told Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper that bad weather was forecast and all the passengers should have been gathered at a pre-arranged assembly point, with all the doors and hatches closed.

“Instead it took on water with the guests still in the cabin. They ended up in a trap, those poor people ended up like mice in a trap,” he said.

The Bayesian, owned by Lynch’s family, boasted a 75-metre mast, the tallest aluminium sailing mast in the world, according to the Charter World website.

Raising the wreck would likely cost some €15 million and take “six to eight weeks”, according to the salvage engineer who led the operation to recover the Costa Concordia cruise ship, which sank off Italy in 2012.

To recover the yacht, the mast could be removed on the seabed but the boat would be lifted up whole using a giant crane and a team of 40 specialist divers, South African engineer Nick Sloane told the Repubblica daily.

Meanwhile, as reported by  The South African website , a 20-year-old South African hostesses survived the Bayesian superyacht tragedy.

This developing news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

Is jy Afrikaans? Kliek hier vir nuus in jou taal!

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Friday, August 23, 2024 81° Today's Paper

4 bodies retrieved from tech magnate’s sunken yacht in Sicily

By Giselda Vagnoni / Reuters

Aug. 21, 2024

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REUTERS/GUGLIELMO MANGIAPANE

Rescue personnel operate in search for the missing, including British entrepreneur Mike Lynch, in the area where a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Porticello, near the Sicilian city of Palermo, Italy, today.

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4 bodies retrieved from British tech magnate’s sunken yacht in Sicily

PORTICELLO, Italy >> Four bodies were found on Wednesday aboard the sunken wreck of a yacht belonging to the wife of British tech magnate Mike Lynch, sources close to the rescue operation said.

The identities of the victims were not immediately given by the authorities. Three of the bodies were brought ashore and taken to nearby hospitals for formal identification. The fourth corpse was being taken to land as evening set in.

Britain’s Daily Telegraph reported that two of the dead were Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter. Local authorities in Sicily declined to comment on the report.

The British-flagged Bayesian, a 184-foot superyacht was carrying 22 people and anchored off the port of Porticello when it was hit by a fierce, pre-dawn storm on Monday.

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 recent acquittal in a U.S. fraud trial.

Besides Lynch and his daughter, the other people unaccounted for after the disaster were Judy and Jonathan Bloomer, a non-executive chair of Morgan Stanley International; and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo.

Specialist rescuers have been searching inside the hull of the sunken yacht for the past two days. The victims were believed to have been trapped in cabins, which have proved extremely hard to get to, with divers only able to stay in the vessel for 8-10 minutes before having to re-surface.

Fifteen people managed to escape the yacht before it capsized in the pre-dawn tempest, while the body of the onboard chef, Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, was found near the wreck hours after the disaster.

The Bayesian is lying on its side at a depth of around 50 meters, apparently largely intact.

Besides the diving team, the coast guard has deployed a remotely operated vehicle to scan the seabed and take underwater pictures and videos that it said may provide “useful and timely elements” for prosecutors looking into the disaster.

The coast guard has been questioning survivors, including the captain of the Bayesian, and passengers on the yacht that was moored next to it who witnessed the ship going down, judicial sources said.

No one is under investigation at the moment, sources added.

Experts have been at a loss to explain how a large luxury vessel, presumed to have top-class fittings and safety features, could have sunk within minutes, as recounted by witnesses. The yacht anchored next to it was unharmed by the storm.

The Bayesian, which was owned by Lynch’s wife, was built by Italian shipbuilder Perini in 2008 and last refitted in 2020. It had the world’s tallest aluminum mast, measuring 72 meters, according to its makers.

Lynch has been referred to as Britain’s Bill Gates. He built the UK’s largest software firm, Autonomy, which was sold to HP for $11 billion in 2011, after which the deal spectacularly unraveled with the U.S. tech giant accusing him of fraud, resulting in a lengthy trial.

He was acquitted on all charges by a jury in San Francisco in June. Morvillo had represented him at the trial, while Bloomer was a character witness on his behalf.

Bayesian’s captain James Cutfield, a 51-year-old New Zealander who survived the shipwreck, was a “very good sailor” and “very well respected” in the Mediterranean, his brother Mark told The New Zealand Herald.

Matthew Schanck, chair of the Maritime Search and Rescue Council, a UK-based non-profit organization that trains sea rescuers, said the Bayesian was the victim of a “high impact” weather-related incident.

“If it was a water spout, which it appears to be, it’s what I would class as like a black swan event,” he told Reuters, meaning a rare and unpredictable phenomenon.

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Body of British tech magnate Mike Lynch is among those recovered from yacht wreckage, officials say

The Italian coast guard said Thursday the body of British tech magnate Mike Lynch is among those recovered off the coast of Sicily from the wreckage of a superyacht whose builders had called unsinkable.

By The Associated Press

PORTICELLO, Sicily — The Italian coast guard said Thursday the body of British tech magnate Mike Lynch is among those recovered off the coast of Sicily from the wreckage of a superyacht whose builders had called unsinkable.

One woman remains missing. She has not been identified, but Hannah Lynch, Lynch's 18-year-old daughter, is reportedly unaccounted for. The family had been celebrating his recent acquittal on fraud charges with the people who defended him at trial in the United States.

Five others were recovered by rescue crews following Monday's tragedy.

The Bayesian, a 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged yacht, went down in a storm early Monday as it was moored about a kilometer (half a mile) offshore. Civil protection officials said they believe the ship was struck by a tornado over the water, known as a waterspout, and sank quickly.

Termini Imerese Public Prosecutor's Office investigators were collecting evidence for a criminal investigation, which they opened immediately after the tragedy despite no formal suspects having been publicly identified.

The chief executive of The Italian Sea Group, which owns the Bayesian's manufacturer, told the AP in an interview on Thursday that superyachts like these are ''designed to be unsinkable."

''And it is unsinkable not only because it is designed in this way, but also because it is a sailing ship and sailing ships are the safest ever,'' CEO Giovanni Costantino said.

Costantino added that ''obviously they must not hit the rocks violently, discarding the hull, and they must not take in water,'' suggesting the second possibility was the most likely in this case.

Costantino also noted that sailing ships require ''a greater competence'' to be guided compared with motor boats.

Investigators are now looking at why the Bayesian, built in 2008 by Italian shipyard Perini Navi, sank while a nearby sailboat remained largely unscathed. Fifteen of the 22 people aboard survived by escaping in a lifeboat, including a mother who reported holding her 1-year-old baby over the waves to save her. They were rescued by the sailboat Sir Robert Baden Powell.

The sailboat's captain, Karsten Borner, said his craft sustained minimal damage — the frame of a sun awning broke — even with winds that he estimated had reached 12 on the Beaufort wind scale, the highest hurricane-strength force on the scale.

He said he had remained anchored with his engines running to try to maintain the ship's position as the forecast storm rolled in.

''Another possibility is to heave anchor before the storm and to run downwind at open sea,'' Borner said in a text message. But he said that might not have been possible for the Bayesian, given its 75-meter (246-foot) tall mast.

''If there was a stability problem, caused by the extremely tall mast, it would not have been better at open sea,'' he said.

Yachts like the Bayesian are required to have watertight compartments that are specifically designed to prevent a rapid, catastrophic sinking even when some parts fill with water.

Lynch is the only person confirmed dead; the other bodies have not been formally identified by the Italian coast guard.

Besides Hannah Lynch, those missing are Christopher Morvillo, one of Lynch's U.S. lawyers, and his wife, Neda; Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley's London-based investment banking subsidiary, and his wife, Judy.

The body of chef Recaldo Thomas was the first to be recovered, on Monday. His death was confirmed by his family.

Friends of Thomas, best known as ''Rick,'' paid tribute to him on Thursday at a favorite bar in the Caribbean Island of Antigua. Cooking for Lynch was supposed to be one of Thomas' last jobs before retiring, his cousin, David Isaac, told the AP.

Divers have struggled to find the bodies in the yacht's hull on the seabed 50 meters (164 feet) underwater.

''We would need a crystal ball to know when we'll be able to find the next body," said Luca Cari, spokesperson for the fire rescue service.

''It's very difficult to move inside the wreckage. Moving just one meter can take up to 24 hours,'' Cari said.

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