Morgan Stanley exec and wife among four who survived Bayesian yacht sinking but died in air bubble

Four victims of the tragic Bayesian superyacht sinking off the coast of northern Sicily on August 19 were initially able to survive in an air bubble within the wreck but later died when oxygen ran out, according to autopsies. 

The luxury £14 million vessel, carrying 22 people, capsized during a storm and sank to the sea floor in minutes. Seven passengers lost their lives, including British billionaire Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah, and four other guests: Jonathan and Judy Bloomer, and Chris and Neda Morvillo.

Autopsies performed on the Bloomer and Morvillo couples revealed that they did not drown but succumbed to oxygen deprivation in an air pocket below deck. 

Earlier reports had suggested the Morvillos drowned, but this was revised by Italian newspaper La Repubblica following the autopsy results.

Autopsies on Lynch and other victims are scheduled for tomorrow.

Divers recovered five of the six missing passengers from a cabin on the yacht's left side, which had settled on the sea floor after the storm. 

A judicial investigation into the tragedy is ongoing, and Captain James Cutfield, along with two crew members, is being investigated for manslaughter. 

Prosecutors are looking into potential failures, including whether hatches were left open and if alarms were raised in time.

Chief Prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio confirmed that the investigation aims to establish responsibility for the incident.

"There could be in fact the question of homicide… we will establish each element’s (crew) responsibility," he said at a press conference.

The survivors, including Lynch’s wife Angela Bacares, were rescued from an inflatable life raft. The survivors have since left Sicily aboard a private jet.