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BOAT REVIEW X Yachts Xp38 eXpatria

MODEL DETAILS MODEL X Yachts Xp38 DESIGNER X-Yachts Design Group BUILDER X-Yachts CONSTRUCTION Vacuum-infused laminate with carbon SPECIFICATIONS LOA 11.58M LENGTH (Waterline) 10.36M BEAM 3.7M DRAFT 2.4M DISPLACEMENT 6775kg ENGINE Yanmar 30hp FUEL CAPACITY 150L Sail Area 85.6 SqM Ballast 2760 ACCOMMODATION Two cabins

Frans ordered the 12m yacht two years ago, but due to a few hiccups along the way it wasn’t until November last year that his new baby arrived here in New Zealand. After a bit of Wednesday night racing and a spot of cruising last summer, he is now back out on the water again and starting to race her. In keeping with the X-Yacht naming tradition, she is named eXpatria – also a nod to Frans’ Dutch origins.

Previously the owner of the S&S One Tonner Young Nick and Young 88 Men at Work , he is not quite ready to hang up his racing hat in favour of cruising into retirement. He very much wanted a boat which offered racing performance – to which the ‘p’ in Xp refers – as well as creature comforts when it’s time to take it easy. X-Yachts are highly-specced and the company’s been building performance-oriented cruisers in Denmark since 1979. While there aren’t a lot of them here, it’s a well-known brand in Europe. For Frans, one of the draw-cards is the yard’s emphasis on safety and build quality. Since the early 80s, all X-Yachts have had a specially designed galvanised steel hull girder system, providing stiffness and it enables the vacuum-infused laminate hulls to withstand the shock load if the boat runs aground.

In the Xp series, this framework is made from carbon fibre, and carbon tapes are incorporated throughout the keel floors for improved rigidity and resilience with reduced weight. This ‘saved’ weight has then been put into the T-shaped keel, to enable the yacht to carry a larger sail plan and improve sailing performance. The Xp works out at around one ton lighter than the Xc cruising version. It’s details like these that attracted Frans to the marque. As well as liking the look of the Xp38 and wanting something ‘a bit different’, it’s clear from his attention to detail and attitude to boat preparation that he has a passion for sailing — and any old boat wouldn’t do.

Sail Time Frans’ been sailing the boat two-handed in the SSANZ Lewmar Triple series (finishing second on line in its division and winning on handicap in the opening race) but today we are four-up, with Andrew Wills from North Sails also along for the ride on a sunny if not particularly warm winter’s day.

Vindex 350 S

When the itch for another boat project required scratching a little over two years ago, de Fluiter decided that repurposing a Vindex 350 flybridge would be quicker than building another new boat.

Cora 48 Catamaran

Performance is modest, as expected for its power-to-weight ratio, but nearly 17 knots of speed was available when I used maximum throttle.

Beneteau First 44

Fifteen knots eased back to about 10 knots and the boat felt light on the helm, responding nicely to changes in wind pressure as they came through.

Buccaneer Five Seven Five

The spacious cockpit is uncluttered but has plenty of seating. The cockpit sole is covered in SeaDek. The bolster-equipped helm chairs are a decent size and proved comfortable even in the lumpy conditions we experienced.

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Kiwi captain James Cutfield of sunk superyacht Bayesian was top sailor, brother says

James Cutfield, the Kiwi captain of S/Y Bayesian, the superyacht that capsized off Palermo. Photo / Perini Navi / Facebook

• James Cutfield, 51, originally of North Shore, Auckland, captained the Bayesian, which sank off Sicily’s coast during a storm .
• Six people remain missing, including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch .
• Rescuers continue searching the yacht on the bottom of the sea floor .

The brother of the Kiwi who captained the luxury yacht that sunk off the coast of Italy said he is a “well-respected” captain who has worked on boats his whole life.

New Zealand citizen James Cutfield, 51, captained the Bayesian, the boat that sank off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo during a storm.

Cutfield told Italian media of the abrupt nature of the water spout that made a death trap out of the superyacht.

“We just didn’t see it coming,” he said.

Cutfield’s brother Mark told the Herald his brother was a “very good sailor” and was “very well respected” in the Mediterranean.

He said he is currently in hospital but was not suffering from injuries “too dramatic”.

“He’s safe, he’s okay.”

Mark was frustrated media around the world had repeatedly reported his brother’s name incorrectly.

Mark said they had received a call from James’ wife Cristina before the news broke so they would not worry about their brother’s life. She had flown from their home in Palma, Mallorca, to be by his side in Italy and has been updating the New Zealand family.

James had been a captain on luxury yachts for eight years and had previously been working on them and involved in building them for the past 30 years in various locations around the Mediterranean.

He said before he worked for the British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, he had worked for a Turkish billionaire.

Mark said James was a “top sailor” in his youth and raced 470s competitively in his youth.

James married his wife last year in Palma, Mallorca with his Kiwi family joining him for the celebration.

When the Bayesian went down, James was rescued alongside 15 other people, including a Kiwi lawyer. Six others were reported missing and one body has been recovered after the British-flagged Bayesian sank about 5am local time (3pm NZT).

Kiwi lawyer Ayla Ronald’s employer speaks out

Also aboard the yacht were Kiwi Ayla Ronald, 36, a senior associate for Clifford Chance in London , and her partner Matthew Fletcher. They were among the 14 people who were rescued, along with another New Zealand citizen.

Ayla Ronald is from Christchurch and studied at the University of Otago.

Christopher Morvillo, a litigator and partner at UK law firm Clifford Chance, and his wife Neda are among the six people still missing after the 56-metre-long sailboat sank half a mile off the coast of Porticello in a freak storm on Monday.

Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah are still missing, as are Morgan Stanley International bank chair Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy Bloomer. The body of Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as chef onboard, was found near the yacht.

In a statement Clifford Chance said they were “in shock and deeply saddened by this tragic incident” and their thoughts were with the Morvillos’ families.

“Our utmost priority is providing support to the family as well as our colleague Ayla Ronald, who together with her partner, thankfully survived the incident.

“Our thoughts extend to the other passengers and crew and all those affected. We have no further comment at this time. We, and the families, ask that their request for privacy is honoured during this period.”

Ronald’s father Lin Ronald told the Herald yesterday his daughter was “very shaken” following the tragedy.

He earlier told the Daily Telegraph his daughter had texted him that “there are deaths, and she and her partner are alive”.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) spokesperson confirmed two New Zealanders were involved in the disaster and were both safe.

Divers continue searching for six people missing

Rescuers and divers are continuing their search for the six people still missing, with efforts focused on entering the yacht.

The local coastguard told media the group were probably still inside the yacht, which sank 49m to the seabed after a tornado hit the area and reportedly caused it to capsize.

A search at that depth means divers can only spend around 10 minutes underwater before returning to the search, one emergency responder told local media.

Furniture and debris is also blocking passage through the yacht, with rescuers reportedly unable to see inside through windows.

Karsten Borner, the captain of a nearby boat, told Reuters that when the storm hit he turned his engine on to keep his vessel under control, and to avoid colliding with the Bayesian.

When the storm passed he realised the luxury yacht had disappeared.

His crew had then found some of the survivors on a life raft, including three seriously injured, and took them on board.

Prosecutors in the nearby town of Termini Imerese are investigating how the tragedy occurred.

Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022.

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Who was onboard tech mogul Mike Lynch's Bayesian yacht?

Topic: Disasters, Accidents and Emergency Incidents

Six people are missing, including a man dubbed the British Bill Gates, after a luxury yacht sank off the Sicilian coast.

British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch — freshly acquitted from a decade-long trial — had invited his work colleagues aboard a trip through the Mediterranean coast when a freak storm saw the yacht sink within moments.

Fifteen people escaped from the sinking vessel. The search for the missing continues.

Here's what we know so far: 

What happened?

The Italian coastguard said the yacht — the Bayesian — was anchored off the shore of port city Porticello, near the Sicilian capital Palermo, when it was hit by bad weather sometime after 4am on Monday, local time. 

Eyewitnesses said it vanished quickly beneath the waves shortly before dawn.

Managers of the sailing vessel Bayesian, Camper & Nicholsons, confirmed to the ABC that the Bayesian encountered severe weather and subsequently sank. 

"Our priority is assisting with the ongoing search and providing all necessary support to the rescued passengers and crew," they said. 

"The wind was very strong. Bad weather was expected, but not of this magnitude," a coastguard official told Reuters.

Sicily's civil protection agency head, Salvo Cocina, said a waterspout — a tornado over the water — could have struck the yacht.

"They were in the wrong place at the wrong time," Mr Cocina added. 

Storms and heavy rainfall had swept down Italy in recent days after weeks of scorching heat, lifting the temperature of the Mediterranean Sea to record levels and raising the risk of extreme weather conditions, experts told Reuters.

"The sea surface temperature around Sicily was around 30 degrees Celsius, which is almost 3 degrees more than normal. This creates an enormous source of energy that contributes to these storms," meteorologist Luca Mercalli said.

Rescuers recover the body of one of the people aboard the Bayesian.  ( AP: Lucio Ganci )

Captain Karsten Borner of the Sir Robert Baden Powell vessel told journalists he noticed the Bayesian nearby during the storm, but after it calmed he saw a red flare and realised the ship had simply disappeared.

Mr Borner said he and a crew member boarded their tender and found a lifeboat with 15 people, some of them injured, who they then took aboard and alerted the coast guard.

Search crews, including helicopters and divers, are continuing to search the wreckage, lying at a depth of 49 metres.

Specialist divers reached the ship on Monday but access was limited due to objects in the way, the fire brigade said.

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch is deploying a team of four inspectors to Italy to conduct a preliminary assessment.

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development office said it was "providing consular support to a number of British nationals and their families".

Sicilian prosecutors have also opened an investigation into the event. 

Who is missing?

Lawyer Chris Morvillo (left), entrepreneur Mike Lynch, and Morgan Stanley chairman Jonathan Bloomer are among the missing. 

There were 12 passengers and 10 crew members aboard the yacht. 

Mr Cocina said the crew and passengers hailed from a variety of countries, including Britain, the United States, Antigua, France, Germany, Ireland, Myanmar, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain.

Of the 22, one man is confirmed dead and another six people are still missing. 

They are believed to be inside the hull, fire rescue spokesperson Luca Cari said.

Fabio Cefalù, a fisherman who said he responded to a flare from the vessel but found it sunk, said he stayed at the site for three hours without finding anyone.

"I think they are inside, all the missing people," he said.

Rescue teams recovered the body of the yacht's onboard chef on Monday, identified as Antiguan citizen Ricardo Thomas.

The still missing people include: 

• Mr Lynch's 18-year-old daughter, Hannah 
• Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of global financial services company Morgan Stanley International
• Chris Morvillo , a lawyer at the British multinational law firm Clifford Chance. He worked on Mr Lynch's lawsuit against Hewlett-Packard
• The identities of the remaining two missing are still unconfirmed

Who was rescued? 

Fifteen people escaped from the sinking ship. 

Eight have been hospitalised and others were taken to a nearby hotel.

Charlotte Golunski was among those rescued, recalling the harrowing moments she held her child Sofia above the waves.  ( Supplied: Facebook  )

Among those rescued were:

• Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, who was the owner of the yacht
• Charlotte Golunski and her one-year-old daughter, Sofia. Ms Golunski is a partner at Mr Lynch's firm, Invoke Capital. She says she momentarily lost hold of Sofia in the water but managed to hold her up above the waves until the lifeboat was inflated
• Ms Golunski's husband James Emslie
• New Zealand captain of the yacht James Catfield. He told Italian newspaper La Repubblica the crew didn't see the storm coming
• A lone Dutch citizen was identified by the Dutch foreign ministry as being rescued, but was not identified

Who is Mike Lynch?

Mr Lynch, once hailed as Britain’s king of technology, was recently freed from a Silicon Valley lawsuit that tarnished his legacy. 

The 59-year-old Cambridge-educated mathematician created Autonomy , a search engine that could pore through emails and other internal business documents to help companies find vital information more quickly. 

He received the OBE for his innovation in 2006. 

He then sold the software to Hewlett-Packard (HP) for $US11 billion ($16 billion) in 2011, with Mr Lynch personally netting $US800 million. 

HP valued Autonomy at $US46 billion ($68 billion) in the months leading up to the deal.

Mike Lynch in 2019 leaving the High Court in London.  ( Reuters: Henry Nicholls/File Photo )

But the deal quickly turned sour after he was accused of forging the software's financial records to make the sale.

As part of a decades-long legal battle against HP, Mr Lynch was extradited to the UK on criminal fraud charges. 

He steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he was being made a scapegoat for HP's own bungling. 

He was eventually cleared of all charges in June this year. 

Although he avoided a possible prison sentence, Lynch still faced a bill from a civil case in London that HP mostly won during 2022. Damages haven't been determined in that case, but HP is seeking $US4 billion. 

Following the San Francisco trial, Mr Lynch said he would return to the UK and do what he loved most: "[being with] my family and innovating in my field."

The holiday appeared to be something of a celebration after Mr Lynch's acquittal, with guests including some of the people who had stood by Lynch throughout the ordeal.

This picture shows the rescue operations off the Sicilian coast.  ( AP: Italian Coast Guard  )

In a separate act of tragedy, Mr Lynch's co-defendant in the trial, Stephen Chamberlain, died on Monday, after a road accident left him critically injured.

Mr Chamberlain — Autonomy's former vice-president of finance alongside Mr Lynch — was hit by a car in Cambridgeshire on Saturday morning and had been placed on life support. 

What is the Bayesian?

The luxury yacht is 56m long sailboat, with a 75m mast labelled as the tallest aluminium mast in the world.

It was previously named Salute when it flew under a Dutch flag.

The yacht, built in 2008 by the Italian firm Perini Navi, can accommodate up to 12 guests in six suites and a crew of 10, according to online specialist yacht sites. It was last refitted in 2020.

Online charter sites listed it for rent for up to 195,000 euros (about $AU 321,000) a week. 

This picture taken on Sunday shows the Bayesian (left) and the Duch sailboat Sir Robert Baden Powell anchored off the coast line.   ( AP: Fabio La Bianca/Baia Santa Nicolicchia )

The ship also won a string of awards for its design. 

Ms Golunski said the yacht had travelled through the Aeolian Islands, Milazzo and Cefalù before sinking. 

It is likely the yacht's name would resonate with Mr Lynch because his PhD thesis and the software that made his fortune was based on Bayesian theory.

X-Yachts Qualities

With more than 40 years of experience there is a reason why X-Yachts have established an enviable customer loyalty, it is in a word quality .

From the long heritage of designers and naval architects that really understand what a true sailing yacht should be, fanatical attention to detail and a constant drive for innovation and a build quality second to none.

The result, beautifully designed and built yachts that give Superior Sailing Pleasure to the knowledgeable owner that understands the difference.

A yacht which delivers Superior Sailing Pleasure is a yacht which sails well in a variety of wind conditions and sea states, offers luxurious comfort, is safe and reliable and provides pure enjoyment when at sea.

Every detail of an X-Yacht, from the hull lines through to the world-class craftsmanship, stem from this idea.

The difference between X-Yachts and other yacht builders come from how the yachts are designed, built and specified technically. Production cost is not the main priority at X-Yachts, instead features and equipment are chosen, no matter the cost, to ensure all models excel in key areas.

In 1979 brothers Niels and Lars Jeppesen, together with their friend Birger Hansen, decided to start building yachts that were able to win at international events as well as be comfortable to sail and cruise. Almost 40 years later, X-Yachts has built nearly 6000 yachts, and the formula remains the same, building quality, fast, competitive yachts that sail beautifully well as well as being a joy to live aboard.

Performance

At X-Yachts we always strive to optimise both performance and comfort, and we believe that they go hand in hand. A yacht that sails efficiently, accelerates well, heels less, and punches through waves better, is a yacht that will give you the most comfort, is safer, and will deliver a completely enjoyable trustworthy sail whatever the conditions.

Sea Keeping

Too often emphasis is given to the comfort of a yacht only at anchor and not enough to the comfort whilst underway. Many of the design decisions made by X-Yachts are to help ensure the yacht not only performs well in all conditions but is also comfortable and enjoyable to sail.

From attentive hull design to ergonomic features throughout the cockpit and interior layout X-Yachts deliver superb comfort at sea on all their boats.

The safety of you, your family and your crew is by far the most important thing at sea. It doesn’t matter if you are racing at top regattas or cruising around the world with a young family; you want to be absolutely sure you are in the safest possible yacht.

X-Yachts’ years of experience, combined with exceptional build quality and some cleverly thought out features ensure you will be as safe a possible on board.

Build Quality

We strive to deliver superior quality in every aspect of all of our yachts.

The quality of the build means your X-Yacht will be a pleasure to sail for years to come and is also the reason they such exceptionally good re-sale values.

Luxury Living

The interiors of an X-Yacht are designed to maximise the space available, creating a functional, safe and stylish user experience below deck.

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Sicily superyacht sinking: Body found believed to be chef Recaldo Thomas

• Wednesday 21 August 2024 at 7:30am

ITV News' Stacey Foster has the latest on the superyacht that sank off the coast of Sicily

A body found near a luxury superyacht that sank off the coast of Sicily on Monday is believed to be that of chef Recaldo Thomas.

Divers are continuing the search for six missing people, including British technology tycoon Mike Lynch and his teenage daughter, who were aboard the Bayesian which is resting on the seabed at a depth of around 50 metres.

Rescuers appear to have entered the yacht, but it is not immediately clear what stage the search is in.

The yacht sank on Monday after it was battered during intense storms off the coast of Palermo .

A male body, believed to be that of Thomas, was recovered on Monday.

Search efforts have extended into a second day, with the Italian Coastguard saying their "very hard idea" is that the missing individuals are "still inside the boat".

Asked about the likelihood of them being alive, a spokesperson said: "Never say never, but reasonably the answer should be not."

Those involved in the searches have now revealed the complexities facing them.

Specialist rescue divers are only able to work 12-minute long search shifts due to the depth the 56-metre vessel is believed to be resting at.

Marco Tilotta, a firefighter diver from Palermo, told Italian media that divers were unable to gain access because of floating furnishings and other debris inside the yacht.

He said: "It looked like a scenario similar to the Costa Concordia on a smaller scale. Unfortunately, these are very complicated searches."

The Costa Concordia cruise ship sank off the island of Giglio in 2012 and claimed the lives of 32 crew and passengers.

On that occasion, divers had to navigate inverted corridors, leaking fuel and floating debris during their search of the wreckage.

The Bayesian was carrying 22 passengers - 10 crew members and 12 passengers - at the time of the incident.

Who survived the incident?

Fifteen people, including Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued, according to local media.

The other named survivors are:

Charlotte Golunski, her husband James Emsley and their one-year-old daughter.

Mr Lynch's lawyer, Ayla Ronald, and her partner.

South African nationals Leah Randall and Katja Chicken worked as crew members on the Bayesian

Crew member Leo Eppel

What is believed to have happened to the yacht?

The British-flagged superyacht capsized at about 5am local time on Monday morning off the coast of Palermo, when the area was hit by a waterspout.

A waterspout is defined as a rotating column of air and water mist, according to the US National Weather Service, and can appear similar to a tornado.

Who is missing?

Six of the 22 passengers, who were onboard the Bayesian at the time it sunk, remain missing.

Of the six, four are British and two are American.

The missing Britons include Mr Lynch, who founded software giant Autonomy in 1996, and was made an OBE for services to enterprise in 2006. His 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, is also unaccounted for.

Morgan Stanley International Bank Chairman Jonathan Bloomer has been named among the missing, alongside his wife, Judy.

In a statement, Morgan Stanley said it was "shocked and saddened" to hear of the news.

Additionally, Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo, who worked for Mr Lynch, and his wife, Neda, have both been confirmed as unaccounted for.

A statement from Clifford Chance read: "We are in shock and deeply saddened by this tragic incident.

"Our thoughts are with our partner, Christopher Morvillo, and his wife, Neda, who are among the missing."

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On Tuesday, the British ambassador to Italy, Ed Llewellyn, expressed his sympathy to the families of those involved in the incident, saying his "heart goes out to them".

He said: "I've spoken to some of the British survivors both yesterday and today - I want to express my deep sympathy from myself and colleagues at the British Embassy for what's happened.

"We're doing what we can to support them in this incredibly sad and difficult situation to help them with contacts from the Italian authorities at a practical level."

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch said four of its inspectors were being deployed to Palermo.

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Mr Lynch, who has been frequently referred to as the "British Bill Gates" , was cleared of conducting a massive fraud relating to an $11 billion (£8.64 billion) sale to US company Hewlett Packard.

The Financial Times reported that Mr Bloomer appeared at trial as a defence witness for Mr Lynch, while media reports suggest the pair are close friends.

Ayla Reynold, a New Zealand national working at Clifford Chance, survived the ordeal.

Her father, Lin Ronald, confirmed to the Telegraph she had been invited aboard as thanks for assistance in Mr Lynch's recent court case.

A spokesperson for Mr Lynch said there was no comment.

It has since emerged that the co-defendant of Mr Lynch in his US fraud trial, Stephen Chamberlain, died after being hit by a car while out running on Saturday.

Gary Lincenberg, Mr Chamberlain's lawyer, said in a statement: "Our dear client and friend Steve Chamberlain was fatally struck by a car on Saturday while out running.

"He was a courageous man with unparalleled integrity. We deeply miss him.

"Steve fought successfully to clear his good name at trial earlier this year, and his good name now lives on through his wonderful family."

Bayesian completed a number of sailings in recent days, calling at various ports in Sicily, according to ship-tracking website VesselFinder.

The superyacht can accommodate up to 12 guests in six suites, and is listed for rent for up to €95,000 (£166,000) a week.

It was built in 2008 by Italian company Perini Navi, and the vessel's registered owner is listed as Revtom Ltd, which is based on the Isle of Man.

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Exclusive details, british tycoon mike lynch was celebrating acquittal in ‘biggest-ever fraud’ trial when bayesian yacht capsized.

British tycoon Mike Lynch was celebrating a “second life” after his recent acquittal in “one of Silicon Valley’s biggest-ever fraud cases” with his family and legal team when their superyacht capsized in Sicily.

Lynch — who’s been dubbed the British Steve Jobs — had invited white-collar lawyer Christopher Morvillo and others from law firm Clifford Chance for a trip on the Bayesian after he was cleared in the federal case, according to a report by the Telegraph .

The three-month trial played out in San Francisco federal court and centered on allegations that Lynch schemed to inflate his software company Autonomy’s revenue when he sold it to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion in 2011. Within a year, the US tech company was forced to down-value Autonomy’s worth by $8.8 billion.

A jury found the Irish-born Lynch, 59, not guilty on all 15 conspiracy and wire fraud charges on June 6. Clifford Chance referred to the trial as “one of Silicon Valley’s biggest-ever fraud cases.”

“We are thrilled with the jury’s verdict, which reflects a resounding rejection of the government’s profound overreach in this case. The evidence presented at trial demonstrated conclusively that Mike Lynch is innocent,” Morvillo and his co-counsel Brian Heberlig said in a statement.

“This verdict closes the book on a relentless 13-year effort to pin HP’s well-documented ineptitude on Dr. Lynch. Thankfully, the truth has finally prevailed. We thank Dr. Lynch for his trust throughout this ordeal and hope that he can now return home to England to resume his life and continue innovating.”

Lynch had  told the Sunday Times of London  after the acquittal and being released from 13 months of house arrest in the US that he had a second shot at life.

“It’s bizarre but now you have a second life. The question is, what do you want to do with it?”

And just last week, Morvillo described on a legal postcast how he and Lynch were riding a high over the rare federal acquittal.

Morvillo described how the whole defense side of the courtroom “erupted” when the foreman read out the not guilty verdict after the 12-year legal saga finally came to a close.

Lynch’s wife — Angela Baraces, 57, who survived the boat accident Monday — was so ecstatic she screamed and ran from the courtroom benches into the well to hug her husband, Morvillo said.

“It was this electric moment, I’ve never seen anything like it in a courtroom before,” he continued. “Grown people sobbing, hugging … people clapping, it was remarkable.”

Lynch’s win is extremely unusual in federal criminal cases. In fact, only less than 1% of federal cases ended in acquittal in 2022, according to the Pew Research Center.

Morvillo said the day the trial ended, they had a big party “that lasted into the small hours of the morning.”

“To have this vindication after all of these years was incredible,” Morvillo said.

The celebrations continued with Lynch’s Italy trip aboard the 160-foot luxury sailboat — which was carrying 22 people made up of 10 crew and 12 passengers — sank off the coast of Porticello, Italy, after a storm hit at sunrise Monday. 

The body of the vessel’s chef, Ricardo Thomas, has been recovered, 15 passengers survived and the search continues for the six remaining passengers who are considered missing — including Morvillo and Lynch.

Others among the missing are Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, Jonathan Bloomer, a chairman at Morgan Stanley International, and Bloomer’s wife, Judy.

Lynch took the stand in his defense at trial, blaming HP for botching the merger by failing to carry out proper due diligence. He also pointed the finger at his CFO Sushovan Hussain, claiming the finance officer was in charge of all the finances and accounting decisions.

The feds called more than 30 witnesses in their failed effort to convict Lynch. They included Leo Apotheker, the former HP CEO who was fired weeks after the Autonomy deal was announced.

Bloomer — the chairman of Morgan Stanley’s London-based investment banking subsidiary and the chairman of the Hiscox Group — testified in Lynch’s defense as Lynch had appointed him to Automony’s board of directors to chair the audit committee on the HP deal starting in 2010.

Bloomer’s wife Judy is also among the missing.

Ayla Ronald, a New Zealand national who worked at Clifford Chance on Lynch’

s case, had also been invited to the festivities and survived the Bayesian accident, the firm confirmed.”We are in shock and deeply saddened by this tragic incident,” read Clifford Chance’s statement. “Our thoughts are with our Partner, Christopher Morvillo, and his wife Neda who are among the missing, and with their families.”

“Our utmost priority is providing support to the family as well as our colleague Ayla Ronald, who together with her partner, thankfully survived the incident,” the statement continued. “Our thoughts extend to the other passengers and crew and all those affected.”

What to know after a tornado sank the yacht Bayesian off the coast of Sicily:

• A superyacht capsized off the coast of Sicily after a tornado hit the area early Monday, killing six passengers and leaving one missing.
• British tech tycoon Mike Lynch was identified as one of the bodies pulled from the wreckage. His teenage daughter, Hannah, is still missing.
• Lynch — known as “Britain’s Bill Gates” — had invited guests from Clifford Chance, a legal firm that represented him, and Invoke Capital, his own company, on the voyage,  according to the Telegraph . 
• Security camera footage shot from 650 feet from where the  Bayesian sank Monday  shows it disappearing.
• A rare and unexpected “black swan” weather event may have led to the  Bayesian’s speedy demise , maritime experts say.

Ronald’s father, Lin Ronald, told the Telegraph said his daughter was “part of the legal team that were invited to go sailing as a result of the success in the recent United States court case.”

Lynch’s co-defendant and a former finance exec at Autonomy, Stephen Chamberlain, was also acquitted of all charges at the trial.

Just days before the yacht capsized, Chamberlain  died on Saturday  after getting hit by a car while he was out running in Cambridgeshire, England.

Hussain was convicted at a 2018 trial related to the doomed HP deal and was released from prison in January after serving a five-year sentence.

HP won a lawsuit fought in London in 2022 against Lynch and Hussain, but their legal penalties have yet to be decided. The US tech giant is seeking $4 billion in damages.

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Mike Lynch, British Tech Entrepreneur, Among the Missing After Yacht Sinks Off Sicily Coast

M ike Lynch, one of the U.K.’s most celebrated tech entrepreneurs, lived for years under the cloud of a criminal investigation by U.S. prosecutors alleging that the value of the company he sold to Hewlett Packard for $11 billion was fraudulently inflated. In June, following a trial in San Francisco, he was acquitted.

On Monday, Lynch, 59 years old, was among those declared missing after his luxury yacht sank off the coast of Sicily. It was hit by a sudden thunderstorm just before sunrise, according to Italian officials.

A total of 22 people were aboard the vessel. Six passengers, including Lynch, one of his daughters, two other British nationals and two Americans, were missing, along with one crew member, according to the Italian Coast Guard and a person familiar with the matter.

The south Italy cruise was planned as a celebration of the recent courtroom victory, according to the father of one of the survivors and other people familiar with the matter.

There were 15 people, including a year-old baby girl, rescued. Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, was among the people who were rescued, according to a person familiar with the situation.

A coast guard official said the yacht was anchored near the port of Porticello overnight Sunday when a storm hit the coast, creating a tornado-like column of air and water.

The crew apparently had little warning. There was no distress signal from the yacht, the coast guard said.

Karsten Borner, the captain of the boat that rescued survivors, told RAI TV that the “yacht tipped to its side and sank within a few minutes. It all happened in really little time.”

Italian officials said rescue efforts were still under way Monday, and that the yacht sank about 164 feet deep.

Shortly before midnight local time, Italian rescue authorities said in a statement posted to X that cave divers’ first inspection of the wreckage didn’t yield any results because of debris blocking their access beyond the bridge.

Survivors include Ayla Ronald, a lawyer who worked on Lynch’s U.S. fraud case, her father, Lin Ronald, said. They were on the boat to celebrate the legal victory, said Lin Ronald, who is based in New Zealand and works in the yachting industry.

The British-registered yacht, named the Bayesian, was off the northern coast of the Italian island near the capital Palermo, according to ship-tracking website MarineTraffic.

A person with knowledge of the matter said the yacht was likely owned by Lynch. It was managed by London-based brokers Camper & Nicholsons.

Built in Italy in 2008 by the Perini Navi shipyard, the 184-ft yacht was able to accommodate up to 12 guests and 10 crew, according to YachtCharterFleet.

Yacht brokers valued the vessel at around $35 million.

Lynch founded software company Autonomy in the 1990s. The Cambridge University Ph.D. and his employees deployed so-called Bayesian mathematics, which traces its roots to Thomas Bayes, an 18th-century statistician and Presbyterian minister.

Autonomy was bought by American tech company Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion in 2011.

Lynch was lauded as one of the few U.K. executives who had built a world-leading software company from scratch. The company, at the time Europe’s second most valuable, helped customers sift for insights in vast amounts of data. It counted intelligence agencies, banks and law firms as clients.

The deal has since been described as one of the worst in Silicon Valley history. The Hewlett-Packard CEO who approved the deal resigned within a year. Lynch also left the company in 2012.

Hewlett-Packard took an $8.8 billion write-down later that year and said it was duped into overpaying.

The subsequent split of the tech giant into two companies in 2015 was overseen by then-CEO Meg Whitman, who took over after the Autonomy deal was agreed.

The decision to break the company up came as it struggled with declining revenue, corporate scandals and management turmoil. The personal computer and printer business now operates under HP Inc., which makes computer servers, networking equipment and data storage systems. The Autonomy business went with Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, which sells business software, servers and networking gear.

Lynch was charged in 2018 by the U.S. government, which alleged that he and his lieutenants had used false and misleading documents to make the business-software maker more attractive to a potential purchaser. He unsuccessfully fought extradition to the U.S.

Lynch was acquitted of criminal charges in June, ending the nearly 13-year saga. Lynch declared afterward that he was “elated” and looking forward to returning to what he loved, “my family and innovating in my field.”

Another Autonomy executive, former finance chief Stephen Chamberlain, was also acquitted of fraud charges.

Lynch in recent years has been running Invoke Capital, a venture-capital firm focused on European technology. One of its investments was in a firm called Darktrace, which uses artificial intelligence to detect cyberattacks. The company went public in 2021 and is now valued at more than $4 billion.

Write to Joseph Pisani at [email protected], Costas Paris at [email protected], Gareth Vipers at [email protected] and Max Colchester at [email protected]

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30  Crewed Luxury Yachts for Charter in New Zealand

New Zealand Yacht Charters

Charter vacations in the South Pacific cruising grounds of New Zealand benefit from an abundance of activities and itinerary choices offered by the combination of the North and South Islands. With the Tasman Sea to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east, the sailing conditions are excellent and each year play host to the prestigious superyacht regatta, the New Zealand Millennium Cup.

New Zealand Luxury Yacht Charter Guide

Both the North Island and South Island of New Zealand feature coastlines peppered with a canvas of bays, harbours, fjords and stunning beaches. Renting a private crewed motor yacht, sailing boat or expedition yacht here is a fantastic way to explore the breath taking scenery any time of year, from the glaciers and snow-capped mountains in winter to the winding vineyards and semi-tropical beaches in the summer.

New Zealand is the perfect destination for active charterers looking to partake in adrenaline fuelled activities on water and land as well as try out all of the toys carried on board your charter yacht. Known as the ‘white knuckle capital of the world’, there are endless opportunities to create an experience of a lifetime as well as enjoy cruising conditions and sheltered anchorages that have attracted sailing enthusiasts for hundreds of years.

Luxury Yacht Charter Itineraries in New Zealand

New Zealand’s South Island is the less populated, more rugged of the two and is ideal for more relaxed exploration of the spectacular Marlborough Wine Country and a varied landscape. In contrast, the North Island is home to some of the world’s most vibrant modern cities such as Auckland which offers a great selection of shops, bars, restaurants and busy harbours. Auckland is also the gateway to 144 islands and bays of the Bay of Islands which can create a comprehensive and varied itinerary all of their own.

Charter Yachts Available in New Zealand

For more information about chartering a private yacht in New Zealand, please contact your preferred Yacht Charter Broker.

Crewed Charter Yachts in New Zealand

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37m   Sunseeker

from $125,000 p/week

86m Oceanco

from $561,000 p/w eek ♦︎

Sea Eagle 10

81m Royal Huisman

81m   2020/2022

from $590,000 p/w eek ♦︎

La Datcha 12

77m Damen Yachting

from $630,000 p/w eek

Wayfinder 12

68m Astilleros Armon

from $375,000 p/w eek

Perseus^3 12

59m Perini Navi

59m   2015/2022

from $350,000 p/w eek

57m Royal Huisman

57m   2010/2021

from $250,000 p/w eek

52m   2010/2020

from $285,000 p/w eek

48m Oceanfast

48m   2010/2023

from $180,000 p/w eek ♦︎

The Beast 12

39m Profab Central Engineering Ltd

from $215,000 p/w eek

Nancy-Jean 12

37m Sunseeker

from $125,000 p/w eek

37m   2010/2022

from $89,500 p/w eek

Relentless 9

34m Kingship

34m   2006/2020

from $75,000 p/w eek

Pacific Mermaid 8

32m Winter Yachts

32m   1996/2005

from $80,000 p/w eek

Sea Breeze III 6

32m Millkraft

32m   1976/2021

from $65,000 p/w eek

32m Southern Wind

from $70,000 p/w eek

Black Pearl 10

32m Diverse Projects

32m   2011/2015

from $69,000 p/w eek

Pacific Eagle 6

31m Alloy Yachts

31m   1990/2002

from $35,000 p/w eek

30m Horizon

30m   2011/2017

from $60,000 p/w eek

VivieRae II 10

30m Nordhavn

from $90,000 p/w eek

Rua Moana 8

27m Pachoud

from $110,000 p/w eek

26m Alloy Yachts

26m   1993/2017

from $46,000 p/w eek

Ata Rangi 6

25m Viking Yachts

24m Sunreef Yachts

from $85,000 p/w eek

Haparanda 10

23m   1960/2008

from $20,000 p/w eek

Cattitude 8

23m Alliaura Marine Group

23m   2012/2013

from $45,000 p/w eek

Crazy Horse 6

23m Oyster Yachts

23m   2005/2016

from $25,000 p/w eek

23m Northport Engineering

from $30,000 p/w eek

23m Sunreef Yachts

from $57,000 p/w eek

Graycious 6

22m Oyster Yachts

from $26,000 p/w eek

Mission Hills 7

22m   1982/2000

from $32,000 p/w eek

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