Imagine losing your husband and daughter in a tragic accident, only to then be sued for hundreds of millions of pounds! That's the reality facing Angela Bacares, the widow of British billionaire Mike Lynch, as the Italian company that built the ill-fated superyacht Bayesian is seeking a staggering £400 million in damages.
The Italian Sea Group (ITS), helmed by yachting magnate Giovanni Costantino, is taking Mrs. Bacares to court, demanding €456 million (that's approximately £399 million). Their argument? They claim the Bayesian's sinking, which tragically claimed seven lives, including Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, was due to the negligence and incompetence of the ship's crew. But here's where it gets controversial... ITS insists that the negative publicity surrounding the disaster has cost them millions of euros in lost sales and reputational damage.
To recap: last year, the Bayesian was recovered from the depths off the coast of Sicily. Mrs. Bacares, 58, survived the horrific sinking, recalling the 'very sudden' moment the superyacht went into peril. Just weeks before the tragedy, the Bayesian had successfully navigated a 'really bad storm' near Naples, leaving Mrs. Bacares feeling 'reassured' by the crew's capabilities. And this is the part most people miss... the legal ownership of the £30 million vessel rested with Revtom, an Isle of Man-registered company, which Mrs. Bacares now legally owns. This is the basis for ITS's lawsuit.
According to The Telegraph, ITS claims that the crew's alleged failures directly led to the yacht being overwhelmed by a sudden and severe weather event – some have even likened it to a tornado – near the Sicilian coast.
A source close to the Lynch family fiercely disputes these claims. “This claim is as cynical as it is predictable,” they told The Telegraph. “The UK investigation has raised serious, unresolved questions about the yacht’s design, stability and operating characteristics, including vulnerabilities unknown to the owner and crew.” The source added, “This action appears designed to distract from those issues but it will not prevent proper scrutiny of how the vessel was designed, approved and built. It is desperate, opportunistic and in bad faith.” They suggest that the focus should be on potential flaws in the yacht's construction, not on blaming the crew after the fact.
Before the tragedy, the trip to the Italian coast was intended to be a celebration: Mr. Lynch had just been acquitted in a criminal trial. Many will remember Mr. Lynch for his sale of Autonomy to HP for approximately £7 billion. The landmark transaction represented the largest acquisition of a British technology company in history. However, HP subsequently launched a civil case, accusing Mr. Lynch of fraud and suing him in the High Court.
Here's a key point that may spark debate: Is it fair for a company to sue the grieving widow of a victim, claiming lost profits due to the tragedy? Or should the focus be solely on the design and construction of the yacht itself?
What do you think? Is ITS justified in seeking damages from Mrs. Bacares? Or is this a case of blaming the victim to deflect from potential flaws in the yacht's design and construction? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
