British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch is among six people reported missing after a superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily during a severe storm.

The British-flagged yacht, which was anchored near Palermo, was caught in a sudden tornado in the early hours of Monday morning, causing it to capsize and sink within minutes.

Rescue operations are ongoing, with specialist divers being deployed to search the shipwreck, now resting 50 meters below the surface. A total of 22 people were on board, including Lynch, who owned the vessel. So far, 15 individuals have been rescued, including a one-year-old girl. Tragically, one person has been confirmed dead.

Mike Lynch is a prominent figure in the tech industry, often dubbed the “British Bill Gates.” He co-founded Autonomy, a software company that became one of the UK’s most successful tech firms. In 2011, Autonomy was sold to Hewlett-Packard (HP) for $11 billion, a deal that later became mired in controversy. HP accused Lynch of inflating the company’s value, leading to a lengthy legal battle.

Lynch was extradited to the United States in 2023 to face charges of conspiracy and wire fraud but was acquitted by a US jury in June 2024.