Tech tycoon dubbed ‘Britain’s Bill Gates’ Mike Lynch among 4 Brits missing after £14m Bayesian yacht sinks off Sicily

ONE of the Brits feared missing after a superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily is reportedly tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch.

Three other British tourists are feared dead after the £14million boat was hit by a tornado this morning.

British entrepreneur Mike Lynch is reportedly missing after a superyacht sunk
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British entrepreneur Mike Lynch is reportedly missing after a superyacht sunkCredit: Alamy
The Bayesian is 56 metres long and cost £166,000 a week to hire
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The Bayesian is 56 metres long and cost £166,000 a week to hire
Sicilian fire crews have been on the water searching today
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Sicilian fire crews have been on the water searching todayCredit: PA

Lynch, a billionaire, was one of the 22 people sailing onboard the vessel, the Telegraph reported this afternoon.

Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, is among those rescued.

Three other Brits, two Americans, and one Canadian are among the remaining six missing.

The lifeless body of one victim who was sailing onboard the doomed yacht - named the Bayesian - has already been pulled from the Mediterranean.

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Lynch is a serial entrepreneur having founded and sold tech and software companies. He was awarded an OBE for his services to enterprise in 2006.

Invoke Capital, one of Lynch's companies has been approached for comment by The Sun.

The yacht is believed to have been flooded by water after a tornado off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo, just before 5am local time on Monday morning.

A man's body was tragically found underwater alongside the shipwreck by divers, reports Corriere Della Sera.

At least 15 people were saved by coast guards, patrol boats, firefighters and local fishermen - with seven missing.

Helicopters, divers, patrol boats and firefighters are all helping with the desperate search of the area.

An expert team of divers have already been able to locate the vessel 160ft below the water on the seabed.

Sicily is currently under a weather warning for strong winds.

Almost all of the 22 passengers and crew onboard are said to have been inside their cabins and rooms when the weather took a turn.

A one-year-old British girl was rescued by her mother in the sea after the sinking before they were rushed to hospital.

Mum Charlotte spoke about the frantic rescue, telling Giornale di Sicilia: "For two seconds I lost the baby in the sea, then I immediately hugged her again amidst the fury of the waves. 

"I held her tightly, close to me, while the sea was stormy. Many were screaming.

"Luckily the lifeboat inflated and 11 of us managed to get on board."

Search helicopters are flying over the area searching for survivors
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Search helicopters are flying over the area searching for survivorsCredit: PA
CCTV caught Sicily being battered with violent winds overnight
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CCTV caught Sicily being battered with violent winds overnightCredit: Rail News

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