A manslaughter probe has been begun following the deaths of seven individuals on the Bayesian superyacht that sank off the coast of Sicily. Italian public prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio, of the nearby town Termini Imerese, said his office had launched an initial investigation into manslaughter and negligent shipwreck. No specific suspects have been identified.

British IT entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among those killed when the boat sank near Porticello about 5 a.m. local time on Monday. Follow our live blog for the most recent developments. At a news conference in Termini Imerese town court, Mr Cartosio stated, “The Termini Imerese prosecution has opened a case hypothesising the crime of shipwreck and manslaughter, but we are only at the preliminary stage of the inquiry so far.”

He went further: “I have to emphasise that the development of the inquiry could actually be of any sort imaginable.” The prosecutor described the occurrence as a “very grave tragedy” and hailed firefighters and divers for their “incredible courage and skill”.

The yacht was hit by a downburst, according to case prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano. Downbursts are intense winds that descend from a thunderstorm and spread rapidly once they touch the ground.

Mr Cammarano added that it was “probable that offences were committed” in connection with the yacht’s demise. He told reporters that the sinking might have been caused by the captain, crew, supervisors, shipbuilders, or others.

We will determine each element’s accountability; this will be done by the inquiry, so we cannot do so prematurely,” he continued. “For me, it is likely that offences were committed, and there could be a case of manslaughter, but we can only establish that if you allow us time to investigate.

Specialized divers attempting to remove the dead faced “very little visibility due to the weather conditions” and were brought in from all over the nation as part of a search-and-rescue operation that encompassed “some 70 people” each day, according to the Palermo fire chief.

Girolamo Bentivoglio stated that six people’s bodies were found from cabins on the left side of the yacht after it sank. The bodies have not yet undergone post-mortem examinations. Recaldo Thomas, a Canadian-Antiguan cook on the superyacht, was found dead at the scene on Monday. According to authorities, the six guests may not have been able to flee the boat because they were asleep, and the investigation into the sinking will examine into how the majority of the staff survived.

When asked why they were not awakened up or warned, Mr Cammarano stated that investigators are working to determine this.

Tribute were paid to those who diedHannah’s sister describes her as “the most amazing, supportive, and joyful sister and best friend to me”. She was planned to start studying English at Oxford University in September. Hannah and her father died when their boat capsized, and the debris is now 50 metres below the sea’s surface. Rear Admiral Raffaele Macauda of the coastguard, the Maritime Director of Western Sicily, could not clarify how long it would take to remove the sunken yacht’s shipwreck, adding that rescuing the fuel tanks was a “priority for us because it has environmental knock-on effects”.

According to Macauda, the weather at the time of the yacht’s sinking was “abnormal” and there was nothing to indicate such a “extreme situation” would occur. He informed the press conference that there was no tornado alert.

The event also killed Morgan Stanley International chair Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo, and his wife Neda Morvillo. Mr Lynch, who created the software firm Autonomy in 1996 and served on the boards of several important institutions, has received tributes from all industries. Andrew Kanter, a close friend and coworker, described Mike as “the most brilliant mind and caring person I have ever known.” For about a quarter century, I had the opportunity of working with someone who was unparalleled in their knowledge of technology and business.

The incident also killed Morgan Stanley International chair Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo, and his wife Neda Morvillo. Mr Lynch, who founded the software company Autonomy in 1996 and served on the boards of several major organizations, has garnered accolades from every industry. Andrew Kanter, Mike’s close friend and coworker, characterized him as “the most brilliant mind and caring person I have ever known.” For about a quarter century, I had the opportunity to work with someone who was unrivaled in their knowledge of technology and business.

Of the 22 passengers and crew on board, 15 individuals, including Mr Lynch’s wife Angela Bacares, were rescued after escaping on a life jacket.