Mike Lynch, a leading figure in the UK's technology industry and often referred to as the "British Bill Gates," is among those missing after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Palermo, Sicily, on Monday.
The yacht was carrying 22 people when it went down in the early hours following a tornado.
So far, one person has been confirmed dead, and six others are still missing.
Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, was rescued alive.
According to the Spanish newspaper El Economista, Italian authorities fear the missing individuals, including Lynch, may still be trapped inside the vessel, which sank to a depth of nearly 60 meters.
The survivors are mostly British citizens, but the guest list also includes individuals from New Zealand, Ireland, and Sri Lanka.
Who is Mike Lynch?
Born in 1965 in Essex, Mike Lynch is a prominent figure in the tech world, often compared to Bill Gates due to his significant impact on the industry.
Lynch graduated from King's College, Cambridge, with a degree in Natural Sciences and later earned a PhD in Electrical Engineering. His academic achievements have earned him widespread recognition both in the UK and internationally.
In the mid-1990s, Lynch co-founded the software company Autonomy, which became a major player in the UK tech scene. His success with Autonomy led to numerous accolades, including being awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2006.
Lynch was also appointed to the UK government’s Science and Technology Council in 2011 under Prime Minister David Cameron and is a member of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society.
However, Lynch’s career took a dramatic turn in 2018.
That year, U.S. authorities accused him of inflating Autonomy's sales figures and misleading regulators during the sale of the company to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011 for $11.1 billion.
The allegations led to a lengthy legal battle, but in June of this year, Lynch was acquitted of all charges, bringing an end to six years of court proceedings.
