Italian Superyacht Builder Sues British Billionaire's Widow for £400 Million
In a legal battle that has captured the attention of the maritime world, the Italian Sea Group (ITS), renowned for its luxurious superyachts, is suing Angela Bacares, the widow of the late businessman Mike Lynch, for a staggering £400 million. The lawsuit stems from the tragic sinking of the Bayesian superyacht, which claimed the lives of seven people, including Lynch and his family.
The Italian Sea Group alleges that the crew's incompetence and negligence were the primary causes of the disaster. They argue that the negative media attention surrounding the incident resulted in significant financial losses for the company, amounting to millions of euros in sales. The Bayesian yacht, valued at £30 million, was raised from the depths off the coast of Sicily, providing a grim reminder of the tragedy that unfolded.
Mrs. Bacares, who survived the catastrophe, described the moment their yacht went into peril as 'very sudden.' However, she expressed reassurance after the crew successfully navigated a severe storm near Naples just two weeks prior. The Telegraph reports that the Italian superyacht builder is now taking legal action against Mrs. Bacares, who is the legal owner of Revtom, the company that owned the ill-fated vessel.
The builder, TISG, is majority-owned by Italian yachting millionaire Giovanni Costantino. They claim that the crew's negligence led to the yacht's sinking, which was struck by a freak weather system near the Sicilian coast. A source close to the Lynch family criticized the lawsuit, describing it as a cynical and opportunistic attempt to divert attention from unresolved questions about the yacht's design and stability.
Mike Lynch's remarkable career includes the sale of Autonomy to HP for around £7 billion, making it the largest acquisition of a British technology company in history. However, HP's civil action against Lynch for fraud is ongoing, with the case currently before the High Court.
