Italian prosecutors are examining two additional crew members from British tech mogul Mike Lynch's yacht, alongside its captain, in relation to the yacht's sinking more than a week ago, according to a judicial source on Wednesday.
Lynch and six others perished when the British-flagged Bayesian, a 56-meter-long yacht, overturned and sank on August 19 within minutes of being struck by a pre-dawn storm while anchored off northern Sicily.
On Monday, the yacht's 51-year-old captain, James Cutfield from New Zealand, was investigated for manslaughter and shipwreck. Cutfield opted not to respond to prosecutors during questioning on Tuesday.
Ship engineer Tim Parker Eaton and sailor Matthew Griffith are also being investigated for the same offenses, the source revealed, with Parker Eaton suspected of neglecting to safeguard the yacht's engine room and operating systems.
Griffith was on watch duty the night of the incident, the source added. Being investigated does not necessarily indicate guilt and does not guarantee formal charges.
The sinking has perplexed naval marine experts, who noted that a vessel like the Bayesian, constructed by Italian luxury yacht maker Perini, should have withstood the storm and, under any circumstances, should not have sunk so rapidly.
Prosecutors in Termini Imerese, near Palermo, have stated that their investigation will be time-consuming and will necessitate the salvage of the wreck from the sea. The Bayesian is resting on its right side at a depth of approximately 50 meters.
