Bayesian yacht captain James Catfield is under investigation on suspicion of shipwreck and manslaughter in the deaths of seven people, Italian media reported on Monday.
Investigators allegedly questioned Catfield for the second time on August 25 to hear explanations as to how the ship, which was considered unsinkable, could have sunk.
The captain was also asked for an address where court documents could be sent. Normally such a step would precede a notice of investigation. Corriere della Sera suggests that Catfield’s deputy and watchman on duty that night may also have received notices.
Earlier this week, Giovanni Costantino, the owner of Bayesian, the company that built the superyacht, said that crew errors led to the tragedy. In particular, he said, the storm was predictable, the yacht should not have been anchored and there should have been no people on board.
Given the severe weather warning, it was “inappropriate” to have a party on the yacht, Costantino noted. However, he described the vessel as “virtually unsinkable,” one of the safest in the world.
The 56-metre British-flagged yacht Bayesian sank due to a storm off the coast of Palermo in Italy on August 19. A total of 22 people were on board, including 10 crew members. 15 passengers were rescued, among them Lynch’s wife Angela Bacares. Seven people died, including British technology tycoon Michael Lynch, Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of the board of directors of Morgan Stanley International, one of the world’s largest investment banks, and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo.
