mike ashley yacht

By SuperyachtNews 14 Jul 2017

Billionaire court case rocks the boat

Mike ashley’s high-profile court case affirms just how legally binding a verbal contract can be.….

There has been a particularly interesting case unfolding recently in London's High Court, in which Newcastle United and Sports Direct owner, Mike Ashley, is being sued by his former business associate and finance expert, Jeff Blue, for supposedly breaching a verbal contract made during a boozy pub session in January 2013.

Blue claims he was promised £15 million by billionaire Ashley if, using his expertise and services, he was able to double Sports Direct's share price to £8 per share within three years.

When the shares did hit £8 within said time-frame, Ashley dismissed Blue’s claims for £15 million as drink-fuelled "banter", and not a serious attempt to enter a legal agreement. Blue did receive £1 million from Ashley but for unrelated work to that in question, according to reports.

While Ashley doesn’t dispute that the conversation took place, he argues that he was too intoxicated for it to be a serious arrangement. This highlights that it is still good to bear in mind where you stand with a verbal agreement and just how legally binding they can be.

While they are very much a part of everyday life, a verbal agreement regarding the trade or servicing of a multi-million-euro asset like a superyacht, for instance, is significantly more precarious than an agreement with the local barber for a pompadour fade.

With a verbal agreement, there must be an offer and acceptance with mutual consent and understanding, which means that both parties are cognizant about what they are agreeing to and the terms of the contract. There must also be good faith, where parties are not entering into a verbal agreement to cheat each other or break the law.

Verbal agreements can be enforced lawfully and upheld in court if a party decides to breach the agreement. In many ways, they are as legally binding as a written contract. However, of course, they are very difficult to prove if one party seeks to renege on the agreement and deny any such conversations ever took place.

As an example of how this can relate to our industry: if a superyacht broker were to negotiate a commission, or other form of bonus, with an owner for his/her services without it being bound by written documentation, if the owner were to later revoke the commission or bonus upon fulfilment of the broker’s services, how easy would it then be for the broker to prove what was agreed?

I do not think I am misguided in thinking that a level of unsullied decorum is not always present when the numbers get big and scary, so it is certainly worth considering a written contract when any doubts present themselves, as Ashley’s case is proving.

Image courtesy of BBC.

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Newcastle owner Mike Ashley’s billionaire lifestyle with 33-bed London house, £32m Miami mansion and four homes in Spain

• Published : 7:33, 7 Oct 2021
• Updated : 0:23, 8 Oct 2021

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MIKE ASHLEY has finally sold Newcastle United after 14 years.

The Sport Direct boss, who enjoys a lavish lifestyle and is said to be worth £2.3BILLION, sold the club for £300m to a mega-rich Saudi investment group - which would land him a profit of £95m more than what he paid in 2007.

But it's not as if Ashley, a former squash coach, needs the money.

The 57-year-old Walsall-born businessman boasts a stunning property portfolio that includes a 33-bedroom London house, holiday abodes in Spain, as well as a sprawling mansion in Miami.

If that's not enough, his daily commute is taken in a £5m helicopter.

And his kids aren't wanting for anything either.

SunSport takes a look at Ashley's wealth and how he might enjoy himself once he's rid of running Newcastle.

LONDON MANSION

Found in an upmarket area of North London is Ashley's UK home.

He's been a local since 1993 - first living in a £5m with his ex-wife Linda Jerlmyr and their three children in 'Millionaire's Row'.

Then, following a tumultuous divorce, he splashed £12m on a 33-bedroom pillared mansion up the road in 2005.

That property, originally owned by pop producer Mickie Most, has four garages, indoor and out swimming pools, as well as a cinema.

Neighbours were reportedly left dismayed when Ashley upgraded security by raising the security gates.

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When he quietly divorced Linda, in a settlement apparently worth £50m, she soon bought a £6m seven bedroom home on the same road.

Another £2m was splashed on a cottage next door, that now acts as a gateway to that property.

In recent years it was reported that he rekindled a romance with Linda, who he has called the love of his life in the past, but neither have confirmed or denied the report.

FOUR SPANISH RETREATS

A Spanish hideaway is just what Ashley ordered when he bought FOUR plush homes.

His most impressive to sit and sip sangria in can be found in the stunning resort Port d’Andratx, Majorca.

Ashley has a £10m villa that has seven bedrooms, an infinity pool, tennis courts, and a amphitheatre with an amazing sea view.

The property is so private, like Ashley himself, you can only see the home from the sea.

There's another house in nearby Cap Falco, as well as a second property built inside a cave that was a former nightclub, which akin to a Bond villain has a lift down to a white sandy beach.

Ashley also has two homes in Playa de las Americas, Tenerife - a luxury island visited by the rich and famous, including Penelope Cruz, Jennifer Lopez and Mariah Carey.

WELCOME TO MIAMI

Life is a holiday for Ashley, who owns winter homes in the Swiss resort of Verbier - the most lavish ski resort that has seen the likes of Prince Harry and Princess Beatrice use their slopes.

It's been said that top performers at Sports Direct have been treated to one of his chalets, as well as a private chef.

However, his must luxurious home - which has become somewhat of a refuge because of its privacy, is his Florida house.

The sprawling villa is found in a gated community on La Gorce Island, an A-list resort with its own country club.

Pop legend Cher was a previous owner.

He paid £21m for it in 2013, but renovations have said to have bumped the property's value up by around £10m.

BOYS' TOYS

Like any respected billionaire , Ashley loves cars.

In his garage, you'll find a fleet of fancy motors - including a black Bentley, a BMW 7 Series, as well as a champagne-coloured Aston Martin DB4 with a cream leather interior that was bought for Linda.

But that all pays into insignificance when you see his chopper.

His navy Agusta Westland AW109 helicopter, worth £5million , takes him to Sports Direct's Derbyshire headquarters every Monday morning for a weekly meeting.

In 2008, Ashley was all over the papers for flaunting his wealth.

At a New York bar, he splashed a reported £125,000 on booze on one particularly wild night out.

That included ordering 100 bottles of Cristal champagne, costing £450-a-pop, which he was seen swigging.

And so impressed by the service he got, Ashley even left a £30,000 tip.

For her 50th birthday Linda enjoyed a party at their Majorcan home that is said to have cost £1m.

Guests arrived by yacht or by a chauffeured car, and were given the finest champagne and wine.

Ashley is also believed to like a flutter, and once allegedly lost £1m at Aspers Casino in Newcastle.

Forget the Ecclestones, Ashley's children live just as lavish a life.

In any event, Anna Ashley, 28, would certainly give Petra a run for her money.

She is engaged to Michael Murray, 31, a former nightclub promoter, now on Ashley's payroll at Sports Direct.

They live in a £11m home near London's exclusive Knightsbridge, and he is said to earn around £2.5m a year.

Son Ollie, 28, appears to be the creative of the family, and isn't one who inherited his family's business acumen.

Instead he is a DJ, going under the moniker DJ Exotica, and has played for the Saudi royal family in Dubai.

In 2014, he set up an online radio station called Radar Radio, which was financed by loans from his father.

Matilda lives in a £5.1m West London mews, but has been seen enjoying holidays on private yachts in Saint Tropez on social media.

Through her dad, Matilda set up a Sports FX - a cosmetic branch of Sports Direct that sells everything from mascara to meshed leggings.

Should Ashley be £300million richer with the sale of Newcastle, you can bet the Ashleys will continue to live like kings and queens.

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Barefoot Sailing Adventures: Boat, Crew, Net Worth and Earnings (2023)

Everything you always wanted to know.

Joshua Smith

Founder and Editor at Cruising Freedom

This is the definitive guide on Barefoot Sailing Adventures for 2023.

Over the last 18 months, I have spent 29 hours watching and researching everything I could about Ashley and Mike’s channel as I tune in every single week.

(Yes, I really am *that* obsessed with their YouTube content

You’re about to discover:

➔ How Barefoot Sailing Adventures afforded their boat

➔ How they make their money today

➔ More intimate details about Ashley

➔ How you can start crossing oceans

And so before we start, a quick introduction from me…

The Cruising Freedom Author

Ahoy, Matey! I’m Joshua from Australia.

I’ve built the perfect business to sail the world.

A business model which can allow me to:

➜ Own a catamaran debt-free

➜ Go for weeks without WIFI

➜ Create semi-passive income

➜ Inspire others to dream big

But more on that later… 🙂

Barefoot Sailing Adventures FAQs (April 2023)

S/V Split Personality

Crew Members

Ashley (age 27) and Mike (age 29) from Florida.

I am still sourcing their last names. If you have additional information, please reach out to me at Cruising Freedom here .

The Barefoot Sailing Adventures boat is an Odin 820.

It’s a 27-foot trailer sailor designed for coastal and inland waterways.

Its registration is SC-2588-DJ.

Mike and Ashley have made numerous partial repairs of their trailer sailor, but not much has been covered on their channel.

They have opted to create a lifestyle channel focused on Ashley (and her backside) as opposed to a boat electronics and maintenance channel.

They are currently in Venice, Florida. They haven’t left the state for some time now.

Past Cruising

Given that Mike and Ashley only have a small trailer sailor, they are limited in their cruising potential.

They have visited:

➔ Tampa Bay

➔ Honeymoon Island

➔ One Tree Island

➔ Caladesi Island

➔ Passage Key

They have also toured part of the ICW.

Affording It

Mike and Ashley worked in landscaping for several years, saving just enough money for the boat.

Their boat cost only $59,000 (used) so it’s reasonably affordable for most people.

They aren’t millionaires but have a ton of freedom…

As of 2023, Barefoot Sailing Adventures has a net worth of $320,000 USD.

This is based upon the value of their boat and online business.

Making Loot

How does Barefoot Sailing Adventures make their money? It’s quite simple actually, and I estimate that they make:

➔ $2,754/month from their uncensored/nude content on Vimeo

➔ $705/month from their Patreon account

➔ $1,104/month from their YouTube advertising revenue

➔ $657/month from brand sponsorships

This means they make roughly $5,700/month from their YouTube channel.

Collaborations

Barefoot Sailing Adventures have not collaborated with any other YouTube channels at this time.

Their content focuses on a specific type of content…and most other YouTubers aren’t into it.

Big Moments

Mike and Ashley have had some interesting moments while cruising:

➔ They had a jet ski crash into them in episode 11, early in their YouTube career. This was a personal friend who only created minor damage.

➔ They have struggled with anchoring several times given they’re new to the sailing lifestyle.

➔ Numerous encounters on naturalist beaches and going topless

➔ Experiencing and surviving Hurricane Ian (as did several other channels)

Future Plans

Given that YouTube pays them enough to keep going, Mike and Ashley aspire to keep creating more revealing content.

They are also looking to sail through Europe and South America in the next few years.

Key Takeaways

What can we learn from their channel?

➔ It’s clear that bikini-style content brings in many views

➔ Keep living the dream and find a way to make it happen

➔ YouTube cruising channels make great money if done from the right ‘angle’.

While I’m not the biggest fan of these types of cruising channels, it’s clear that it’s working well for Mike and Ashley.

They’re making great money each and every month, with Ashley being front and centre as a naturalist.

Their channel appeals to the middle-aged man who enjoys this type of revealing lifestyle content.

The same man who also has the potential to build his own income stream to start sailing well into the sunset too.

Create Your Own Cruising Freedom

Hey! 😃 it’s Joshua again…

I’ve been very inspired by Mike, Ashley and their travels…

Some say I’m obsessed, but sailing the world is my childhood dream.

They’re living the dream, but that dream isn’t actually that far away.

I mentioned earlier about discovering the #1 cruising business model.

With this exciting opportunity, I’ll be able to:

➜ Generate a sustainable full-time income through learning basic skills

➜ Fund the purchase of my first sailing catamaran without any loans

➜ Do it without selling to friends and family (I found a better solution!)

➜ Share my lifetime passion for sailing, cruising and global adventures

Keen to discover more? Jump on the free training right now. 👨🏻‍💻

(I share more about it on the next page…🙂)

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From Da Vinci paintings to super yachts and owning the world’s most expensive house – who is Mohammad bin Salman the soon-to-be new Newcastle owner?

Newcastle United are on the verge of seeing the ownership of their beloved club change hands.

Controversial businessman, Mike Ashley, has owned the club for the past 14 years. However, following what can only be described as a hugely unpopular tenure, the sporting tycoon is now set to bid farewell to the Northern-based club.

Reports on Wednesday, from several high-profile sources, including The Athletic’s George Caulkin , have claimed an impending Saudi-led takeover is on the verge of being completed – with the £305m deal expected to be finalised in the coming hours.

Following the exciting news, Toon fans will be eager to learn more about Mohammad bin Salman, the Saudi Prince who is soon to be the club’s new owner.

Well, where to start really – Bin Salman is a Saudi Arabian politician who has been the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia since 21 June 2017.

He is filthy rich and the proud owner of a plethora of luxury assets, including the world’s most expensive home.

In 2015, an unknown buyer purchased an incredible chateau in France, not too far away from Paris, for an eye-watering £230m.

At the time, it was recorded as the world’s most expensive home sale – fast forward a few years and it emerged that Bin Salman was the home’s mystery buyer after he was said to have fallen in love with the 50,000 sq ft property.

It has been extensively reported that the £230m pad is home to 10 bedrooms, a library, gym, aquarium, moat, as well as indoor and outdoor swimming pools.

MORE:  Brighton and Hove Albion star arrested on suspicion of sexual assault

Bin Salman’s spending hasn’t stopped at luxury homes though – the Saudi Prince has also splashed incredible sums on yachts as well as artwork, including a rare Da Vinci painting.

Bin Salman is reported to have paid Russian vodka tycoon Yuri Shefler £380m in exchange for his superyacht in 2015.

In addition to his French home and super yacht, Bin Salman is a well-known lover of vintage artwork.

The Saudi Prince’s love for Da Vinci paintings saw him splash a massive £340m on the Italian artist’s famous ‘Salvator Mundi’ – the painting’s purchase was the world’s most expensive art sale, ever.

The fact it has been reported that taking over Newcastle United, an entire football club, will set him back £305m, far less than his Da Vinci painting and super yacht just makes the finances involved in this Prince’s life even more mind-boggling.

Kylian Mbappe, anyone?

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Newcastle owner Mike Ashley’s billionaire lifestyle with 33-bed London house, £32m Miami mansion and four homes in Spain

• Published : 9:22 ET, Mar 31 2020
• Updated : 19:23 ET, Oct 7 2021

MIKE ASHLEY has finally sold Newcastle United after 14 years.

The Sport Direct boss, who enjoys a lavish lifestyle and is said to be worth £2.3BILLION, sold the club for £300m to a mega-rich Saudi investment group - which would land him a profit of £95m more than what he paid in 2007.

But it's not as if Ashley, a former squash coach, needs the money.

The 57-year-old Walsall-born businessman boasts a stunning property portfolio that includes a 33-bedroom London house, holiday abodes in Spain, as well as a sprawling mansion in Miami.

If that's not enough, his daily commute is taken in a £5m helicopter.

And his kids aren't wanting for anything either.

SunSport takes a look at Ashley's wealth and how he might enjoy himself once he's rid of running Newcastle.

LONDON MANSION

Found in an upmarket area of North London is Ashley's UK home.

He's been a local since 1993 - first living in a £5m with his ex-wife Linda Jerlmyr and their three children in 'Millionaire's Row'.

Then, following a tumultuous divorce, he splashed £12m on a 33-bedroom pillared mansion up the road in 2005.

That property, originally owned by pop producer Mickie Most, has four garages, indoor and out swimming pools, as well as a cinema.

Neighbours were reportedly left dismayed when Ashley upgraded security by raising the security gates.

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When he quietly divorced Linda, in a settlement apparently worth £50m, she soon bought a £6m seven bedroom home on the same road.

Another £2m was splashed on a cottage next door, that now acts as a gateway to that property.

In recent years it was reported that he rekindled a romance with Linda, who he has called the love of his life in the past, but neither have confirmed or denied the report.

FOUR SPANISH RETREATS

A Spanish hideaway is just what Ashley ordered when he bought FOUR plush homes.

His most impressive to sit and sip sangria in can be found in the stunning resort Port d’Andratx, Majorca.

Ashley has a £10m villa that has seven bedrooms, an infinity pool, tennis courts, and a amphitheatre with an amazing sea view.

The property is so private, like Ashley himself, you can only see the home from the sea.

There's another house in nearby Cap Falco, as well as a second property built inside a cave that was a former nightclub, which akin to a Bond villain has a lift down to a white sandy beach.

Ashley also has two homes in Playa de las Americas, Tenerife - a luxury island visited by the rich and famous, including Penelope Cruz, Jennifer Lopez and Mariah Carey.

WELCOME TO MIAMI

Life is a holiday for Ashley, who owns winter homes in the Swiss resort of Verbier - the most lavish ski resort that has seen the likes of Prince Harry and Princess Beatrice use their slopes.

It's been said that top performers at Sports Direct have been treated to one of his chalets, as well as a private chef.

However, his must luxurious home - which has become somewhat of a refuge because of its privacy, is his Florida house.

The sprawling villa is found in a gated community on La Gorce Island, an A-list resort with its own country club.

Pop legend Cher was a previous owner.

He paid £21m for it in 2013, but renovations have said to have bumped the property's value up by around £10m.

BOYS' TOYS

Like any respected billionaire, Ashley loves cars.

In his garage, you'll find a fleet of fancy motors - including a black Bentley, a BMW 7 Series, as well as a champagne-coloured Aston Martin DB4 with a cream leather interior that was bought for Linda.

But that all pays into insignificance when you see his chopper.

His navy Agusta Westland AW109 helicopter, worth £5million , takes him to Sports Direct's Derbyshire headquarters every Monday morning for a weekly meeting.

In 2008, Ashley was all over the papers for flaunting his wealth.

At a New York bar, he splashed a reported £125,000 on booze on one particularly wild night out.

That included ordering 100 bottles of Cristal champagne, costing £450-a-pop, which he was seen swigging.

And so impressed by the service he got, Ashley even left a £30,000 tip.

For her 50th birthday Linda enjoyed a party at their Majorcan home that is said to have cost £1m.

Guests arrived by yacht or by a chauffeured car, and were given the finest champagne and wine.

Ashley is also believed to like a flutter, and once allegedly lost £1m at Aspers Casino in Newcastle.

Forget the Ecclestones, Ashley's children live just as lavish a life.

In any event, Anna Ashley, 28, would certainly give Petra a run for her money.

She is engaged to Michael Murray, 31, a former nightclub promoter, now on Ashley's payroll at Sports Direct.

They live in a £11m home near London's exclusive Knightsbridge, and he is said to earn around £2.5m a year.

Son Ollie, 28, appears to be the creative of the family, and isn't one who inherited his family's business acumen.

Instead he is a DJ, going under the moniker DJ Exotica, and has played for the Saudi royal family in Dubai.

In 2014, he set up an online radio station called Radar Radio, which was financed by loans from his father.

Matilda lives in a £5.1m West London mews, but has been seen enjoying holidays on private yachts in Saint Tropez on social media.

Through her dad, Matilda set up a Sports FX - a cosmetic branch of Sports Direct that sells everything from mascara to meshed leggings.

Should Ashley be £300million richer with the sale of Newcastle, you can bet the Ashleys will continue to live like kings and queens.

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Mohammaed Bin Salman’s £305m purchase of Newcastle a snip compared to record-breaking $450m Leonardo da Vinci painting, $500m superyacht and $300m French mansion

• Connor Andrews
• Published : 17:22, 8 Oct 2021
• Updated : 17:22, 8 Oct 2021
• Published : Invalid Date,

Newcastle’s £305million purchase by the Saudi Public Investment Fund may seem like an expensive deal, but it pales into comparison against some of Mohammaed Bin Salman’s other purchases.

The Saudi Crown Prince is said to have a net worth of around £320billion, which would make him the wealthiest football club owner in the world.

Newcastle supporters are still celebrating the news of their sale , with much-derided former owner Mike Ashley finally relinquishing control of the club after a torrid 14-year tenure.

The Magpies are expected to rocket up the Premier League in the coming years, with huge investment from Bin Salman planned.

However, his £305m deal to buy Newcastle is far from out of character for the extravagant royal.

One of the 36-year-old’s most pricey purchases was a $500m superyacht named Serene.

The half a billion dollar yacht may seem less valuable than St. James Park, but it’s not too far off rivaling the stadium's size at an astonishing length of 440 feet.

The superyacht also included two helipads, and indoor climbing wall, a fully equipped spa and three swimming pools, making it far more luxurious than the rundown dressing rooms at St. James'.

The purchase was made in 2016 when Bin Salman spotted the vessel while on holiday in France and quickly made a Russian oligarch an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Way below the yacht in size, but only just in value, was another item which still holds a world record.

In 2017, Leonardo da Vinci’s famed painting 'Salvator Mundi' was purchased for a stunning $450m, but the identity of the buyer wasn’t revealed.

The Wall Street Journal later reported that US intelligence officials kept a close eye on the Prince, and realised he made the winning bid via a proxy during an auction at Christie’s in New York.

The painting of Jesus Christ is now on display in the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and was again another purchase from a Russian businessman, who paid $127m for it in 2013.

Much like Bin Salman’s superyacht, the royal clearly has a penchant for France, with a house he bought in 2015 situated outside of Paris, only a short helicopter trip from his boat.

The $300m mansion is named the Chateau Louis XIV and was named by Forbes as ‘The world’s most expensive home’ after its sale.

Despite its beautiful 17th-century design, the extraordinary 75,350 square-foot property was built between 2008 and 2011, with British firm Eight Investment backing the sale, much like they did for the purchase of Serene.

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The new-build is a surprise to the naked eye, but once you get inside it’s just as glamorous and modern as Bin Salman’s superyacht, with a sound system and air conditioning that can be controlled via a mobile phone.

The property is surrounded by a moat, which includes a transparent underwater chamber to reveal rare sturgeon and koi swimming overhead.

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Mike Ashley's 35-million-euro Mallorca home has its own cave!

The costas authority is inspecting work.

The property in Calvia.

Mike Ashley , the former owner of Newcastle United who has announced that he is stepping down from the board of Frasers Group (owners of Sports Direct), has a mansion located on a cliff between Cala Vinyes and Cala Falcó, just along the coast from Magalluf. The property includes a private cave that was once a club and which is only accessible by sea or by steps from the mansion.

The property is on the market for 35 million euros . The Imperial Properties advert says - "Spread over the rest of the sizeable plot, currently landscaped with palm trees and native Mediterranean plants, and which leads down to the azure blue crystalline waters of the bay is the private cave which leads you to the lower terrace areas and the waterside terraces around the direct sea access."

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The cave is in the public domain and coastal protection easement area. According to the Costas, a request for occupation of the public domain was submitted in 2019 but wasn't sent to the national ministry for ecological transition until August this year.

The current mansion was built in 2007, but land records show that there was a property by 1984 and access to the cave. Until the 1990s, the cave operated as a club . A waiter who used to work there says that people would arrive by boat from Magalluf and Palmanova. It could accommodate up to 300 people, with 100 in the main room. Some years ago, there was an unsuccessful attempt to turn it into a restaurant.

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When Newcastle lost, it was somewhere he could hide howay ---the lad !!!.

Crew members on Mike Lynch yacht tell of moments it sank off Sicily

Crew members on Mike Lynch’s yacht have spoken of the moments when a storm sank the vessel off Sicily and their efforts to help save passengers, after a disaster that killed the British tech tycoon and six other people.

Matthew Griffiths, who was on watch duty on the night of the disaster two weeks ago, told investigators that the crew members did everything they could to save those on board the Bayesian , according to comments reported by Italian news agency Ansa on Saturday.

Griffiths, the boat’s captain James Cutfield, and ship engineer Tim Parker Eaton have been placed under investigation by the Italian authorities for potential manslaughter and shipwreck . Being investigated does not imply guilt and does not mean formal charges will follow.

“I woke up the captain when the wind was at 20 knots (23 mph). He gave orders to wake everyone else,” Ansa quoted Griffiths as saying.

“The ship tilted and we were thrown into the water. Then we managed to get back up and tried to rescue those we could,” he added, describing the events of the early hours of Aug. 19, when the Bayesian had been anchored off the Sicilian port of Porticello .

“We were walking on the walls (of the boat). We saved who we could, Cutfield also saved the little girl and her mother,” he said, referring to passenger Charlotte Golunski and her one-year-old daughter. In all there were 15 survivors of the wreck.

Cutfield exercised his right to remain silent when questioned by prosecutors on Tuesday, his lawyers said, saying he was “worn out” and that they needed more time to build a defense case.

Before this, Cutfield gave a similar description to Griffiths’ to investigators, according to comments reported on Sunday by Italian daily Il Corriere della Sera.

Cutfield said the boat tilted by 45 degrees and stayed in that position for some time, then it suddenly fell completely to the right, the newspaper reported.

Parker Eaton had not previously commented on the investigation. On Sunday, Il Corriere quoted him as saying that all doors and hatches were closed when the storm hit the boat, except one giving access to the engine room.

That door was located on the side opposite to the tilting and so could not be a factor causing the sinking, he said.

Prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano said last week that the vessel was most likely hit by a “downburst”, a very strong downward wind.

The sinking has puzzled naval marine experts, who said a vessel like the Bayesian, built by Italian high-end yacht manufacturer Perini, should have withstood the storm and, in any case, should not have sunk as quickly as it did.

Prosecutors in the town of Termini Imerese, near Palermo , have said their investigation will take time, with the wreck yet to be salvaged from the sea.

Former Premier League boss Mike Ashley selling Majorca mansion for £30m - complete with hidden cave

The palatial retreat is situated just a few miles from the popular resort of Magaluf and includes its own hidden cave that was used as a nightclub

• 09:37, 21 SEP 2022

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Former Newcastle United owner and Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley is selling his clifftop Majorca mansion for a staggering £30 million. The palatial retreat is situated just a few miles from the popular resort of Magaluf and includes its own hidden cave that was once used as a nightclub.

Entry to the discreet cave can only be obtained via steps leading down from the villa and a small pier from the sea. Despite the limited access from private property, the cave is classed as in the public domain by the island's coastal authority and once operated as a nightclub in the 1990s.

It could accommodate up to 300 revellers when partygoers used to arrive by boat from nearby Magaluf and Palma Nova. The local UltimaHora newspaper claimed Mr Ashley, who recently announced plans to step down from the board of the Frasers Group, submitted an application to take possession of the cave in 2019 but it wasn't submitted to the Balearic Islands national ministry for ecological transition until August this year.

Some years ago, there was an unsuccessful attempt to turn it into a restaurant, according to UltimaHora . Officials are now set to investigate work carried out on the cave and when it was completed.

The property is now being marketed by high-end estate agency Imperial Properties . Its description states: "Beautiful white path and high walls that provide privacy, and decoration from the prettiest of native plants and flowers provide a truly welcoming entrance to this luxury property. As you enter through the front doors of this property you are hit by the stunning open sea views.

"Spread over the rest of the sizeable plot, currently landscaped with palm trees and native Mediterranean plants, and which leads down to the azure blue crystalline waters of the bay is the private cave which leads you to the lower terrace areas and the waterside terraces around the direct sea access."

It is understood the property, which was built in 2007, has been owned by Mr Ashley since 2016. It has nine bedrooms and a further nine bathrooms.

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The guest list for Mike Lynch’s fatal boat party was a who’s who of players from the Autonomy scandal

O n board the doomed Bayesian superyacht that claimed Mike Lynch’s life were not only his family and friends but also crucial business figures who encapsulated the key phases of his career.

High-flying former employees at his tech group Autonomy, allies who helped push through its multi-billion dollar sale to HP, and the legal brains who defended him after that deal turned sour were all in attendance on the Mediterranean when it ran into storms on Monday morning.

Lynch was pronounced dead on Thursday after the yacht he boarded with 21 other passengers sank off the coast of Sicily. 

He was celebrating his recent acquittal on fraud charges linked to HP’s $11.7 billion acquisition of Lynch’s tech group Autonomy in 2011. 

Lynch was joined by his wife, Angela Bacares, who survived, and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah Lynch, whose body was recovered on Friday morning.

Other passengers included critical allies who had supported Lynch through the tech mogul’s most turbulent period. 

The getaway was a symbolic voyage on what Lynch had described as the beginning of a “second life.” 

The coincidental car crash - Steven Chamberlain

Rumors have now swirled about the connections between the guests on the boat and the coincidental death of Steven Chamberlain in a collision with a driver in Cambridgeshire, just days before the boat sank. 

Chamberlain was a veteran at Autonomy and went on to become Chief Operating Officer at Darktrace, a company widely connected with Autonomy. He took a “leave of absence” to defend himself during Lynch’s recent trial in the United States.

Former Autonomy NED - Jonathan Bloomer

The bodies of Jonathan Bloomer, 70, as well as his wife (Judy Bloomer), were recovered alongside Lynch’s on Wednesday. 

Autonomy appointed Bloomer as a non-executive board member in 2010. He chaired the group’s audit committee during the HP sale and was a key witness for Lynch’s defense during his fraud trial in California. At the time of his passing, Bloomer was an international chair at Morgan Stanley International.

Bloomer told prosecutors that Lynch “wasn’t particularly interested in the finance side” of Autonomy, preferring to focus on strategy and the company’s products.

Lynch’s lawyers - Chris Morvillo & Ayla Ronald

Chris Morvillo, 59, passed away aboard the Bayesian yacht with his wife, American jewelry designer Neda Morvillo, 57. 

Morvillo, a lawyer at magic circle firm Clifford Chance, represented Lynch in his criminal trial in the U.S. 

He told the legal podcast For the Defense that the case “covered one-third of my career” after his first meeting with Lynch in 2012, as HP’s unrest grew. 

In a rare LinkedIn post following the trial, which would also prove to be one of his last, Morvillo thanked his daughters and his late wife, Neda.

“I am so glad to be home,” Morvillo wrote. 

“And they all lived happily ever after….”

Ayla Ronald, a 36-year-old senior associate at Clifford Chance, was also on board the Bayesian with her partner Matthew Fletcher. Both survived the sinking.

Ronald’s company profile details how she also defended Lynch in his fraud trial with HP.

Extensive links to Darktrace 

After Lynch sold Autonomy, for which he is reported to have received £500 million ($656 million), he set up the venture capital fund Invoke Capital in 2012, which would see his influence expand deep into the U.K. tech scene in his final years. 

Invoke was an early-stage investor in Darktrace, now subject to a $5.3 billion acquisition from U.S. private equity firm Thoma Bravo. The VC fund also invested in British AI company Luminance, which closed a $40 million funding round in April.

Lynch and his wife Angela held hundreds of millions of their net worth in their final years through Darktrace, with a source telling Fortune they collectively had a 7% stake in the £4 billion ($5.25 billion) valued company at the time of their passing. Fortune exclusively revealed the deal is expected to still complete later in 2024.

Several former high-flyers from Lynch’s Autonomy days lept into key positions at Darktrace. Poppy Gustafsson, Darktrace’s current CEO, was a corporate controller at Autonomy. In a LinkedIn post commemorating the lives lost, Gustafsson said "Without Mike, there would be no Darktrace. We owe him so much".

The links appear deep--Darktrace’s founding CEO Nicole Eagan also served as Chief Marketing Officer at Autonomy, during the acquisition period involving HP. Neither Eagan or Gustafsson were on the boat and continue to hold leadership positions at Darktrace today.

Invoke Capital - Charlotte Golunski

Charlotte Golunski is another person with long-held business ties to Lynch. She is a partner at Invoke Capital, joining during its formation in 2012. Invoke Capital shared offices with Darktrace near London’s Trafalgar square for a number of years.

Before joining Invoke, Golunski worked for Lynch at Autonomy and HP Autonomy for a year after the acquisition.

Golunski, 35, survived the sinking of the Bayesian alongside her partner James Emsley and their 1-year-old daughter. She had been asleep on the deck of the yacht with her baby when the storm hit, describing how she felt oscillations in the boat before it went down minutes later.

She told the Italian outlet La Repubblica how she had held her baby above her arms in the water before she was rescued.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

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Michael Hague

Mike brings a wealth of knowledge to the Ashley Yachts team with his over 15 years of experience in the marine industry.

He began as a yacht broker while attending business school. This initial job in the yacht sales industry piqued Mike’s passion to learn more about the manufacturing side of the industry, and he began working with a leading custom yacht manufacturer.

Mike met his wife Hanna and followed her to her home country of Australia where he spent time working for one of Australia’s premier yacht service and commissioning yards.

After moving back to the United States, Mike formed a successful marine composites company, where work ranged from composites repair to manufacturing composite components for the medical and cruise line industries.

Throughout this time, his love for the water has always drawn him back to the ocean where he has spent time as a freelance delivery skipper and watch captain on vessels ranging from production catamarans to maxi race boats and cruising yachts over 100’. His sailing has taken him as far north as Newfoundland, throughout the Caribbean and into the Pacific ocean.

Now with a wife and two young daughters, he divides his time between Charleston, SC and their home in the Abaco Islands of the Bahamas, where he enjoys spending time with his family.

With Mike’s experience ranging from high end motor yachts to high performance sailing vessels and his involvement in the manufacturing side of the industry he is the ideal broker to assist in new builds. He is committed to his clients and will help them find the right boat to enjoy the cruising lifestyle with family and friends that he cherishes so much.

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Who Was on the Sunken Yacht? Tech Mogul Mike Lynch, His Family and Friends.

Mr. Lynch, the former chief executive of the software firm Autonomy, who was acquitted on fraud charges in June, was with friends and family when the yacht went down in a severe storm.

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By Michael J. de la Merced

Michael de la Merced reported on Mike Lynch’s career and legal battles over the course of 13 years across two continents.

A cruise on the Mediterranean Sea aboard a superyacht was supposed to be a celebratory event for the British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch , who was acquitted in June of fraud charges tied to the sale of his company, Autonomy, to the tech giant Hewlett-Packard.

Instead, it turned into a disaster after the yacht, a 180-foot boat called the Bayesian, sank off the coast of Sicily in a violent storm. Of the 22 people aboard, 15 were rescued and seven others died . Search operations ended on Friday after the final body was recovered from the site of the sunken yacht .

Here’s what we know about the passengers.

Mike Lynch and his family

Mr. Lynch, 59, is a British software entrepreneur who had once been described as his country’s Bill Gates. He founded the software firm Autonomy, which analyzed clients’ unorganized data, and turned it into one of the most prominent British technology companies of its time. He became a widely known corporate leader, who advised David Cameron, the British prime minister at the time, and joined the board of the BBC.

In 2011, Mr. Lynch sold Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion, which was far above its market value, earning him hundreds of millions. But HP investors almost immediately soured on the transaction, and the American tech giant quickly fired its chief executive — and then Mr. Lynch.

HP later accused Mr. Lynch of misleading it about the state of Autonomy’s business, setting off a decade-long legal ordeal for the British executive, who denied the accusations. U.S. prosecutors charged him and other executives with fraud, and Autonomy’s chief financial officer was convicted in 2018.

Despite appeals to the British government, Mr. Lynch was extradited to the United States last year and was confined to a townhouse in San Francisco ahead of his criminal trial, which began in March. Facing the possibility of decades in prison if convicted, Mr. Lynch and another colleague were instead acquitted of all charges.

An official in Palermo, Sicily’s capital, said on Thursday that Mr. Lynch’s body had been recovered. His wife, Angela Bacares, 57, accompanied him on the yacht, and she was rescued on Monday when it sank. She was a consistent presence at his trial in the United States. Records show that she controlled Revtom, the company listed as the owner of the Bayesian.

The body of Hannah Lynch , Mr. Lynch and Ms. Bacares’s 18-year-old daughter, was thought to be recovered on Friday.

The other guests

Jonathan Bloomer, 70, chair of Morgan Stanley’s international arm and the chairman of Hiscox, an insurance provider that trades on the London Stock Exchange, was on the yacht when it sank, along with his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71. Their bodies are thought to be among those recovered, but Italian authorities have not identified them.

Christopher J. Morvillo, 59, a New York-based partner at the international law firm Clifford Chance, was also on the yacht. A former federal prosecutor who comes from a family of prominent lawyers, Mr. Morvillo represented Mr. Lynch during his criminal trial in San Francisco. His wife, Neda, 57, was with him on the yacht. Their bodies are also assumed to be among those recovered.

“We are in shock and deeply saddened by this tragic incident,” a representative of Clifford Chance said in a statement.

Surviving passengers rescued from the yacht include Charlotte Golunski, a partner at Mr. Lynch’s venture firm, Invoke Capital; Ms. Golunski’s husband, James Emslie; and their one-year-old daughter Sophie. Also rescued were Ayla Ronald, a lawyer at Clifford Chance, and her partner, Matthew Fletcher.

The yacht had a crew of 10, and nine were rescued. The body of the chef, Recaldo Thomas, was recovered from the water, the Sicilian Civil Protection Department said.

Elisabetta Povoledo contributed reporting, and Kitty Bennett and Susan Campbell Beachy contributed research.

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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Rusmania • Deep into Russia

Astrakhan Region

The Astrakhan Region is situated in the south of Russia where the River Volga drains into the Caspian Sea forming one of the largest river deltas in Europe.  It is also though a  land of both deserts and semi-deserts. Historically this area was the location of Sarai-Batu - the original capital of the Golden Horde.  The administrative centre is the city of Astrakhan, which arose as a Golden Horde trading point and was annexed into Russia by Ivan the Terrible in the mid-16th century.  Today the city is famous for its white kremlin - the most southern  kremlin in the whole of Russia.

The best time to visit the Astrakhan Region is in July and August when the lotuses blossom on the Volga Delta and the famous Astrakhan watermelons are harvested.  The region is also associated with the black caviar from the Caspian Sea.

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