CNN
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The Italian prosecutor's office announced Monday that the captain of the luxury Bayesian yacht that sank last week near Porticello off the coast of Sicily will face an investigation into possible charges of manslaughter and negligent shipwreck.
James Cutfield, 51, was the crew chief on the 56-meter (184-foot) yacht when it capsized in a storm last Monday, killing six passengers, including British tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old passenger. Done. Oldest daughter, Hannah. The yacht's chef, Riccardo Thomas, also likely died in the wreck.
Other victims include Morgan Stanley International director Jonathan Bloomer, prominent US lawyer Chris Morvello and his two wives – Judy Bloomer and Nida Morvello. Chris Morvello, a partner at Clifford Chance, was involved in successfully defeating a US fraud case against Lynch in June.
Cutfield and 14 others survived the sinking, including Lynch's wife, Angela Bakers.
A weather phenomenon known as a waterspout – one of several types of storm – is believed to have capsized the yacht. But Italian authorities are investigating whether the actions of the ship's crew and their handling of the boat contributed to the fatal sinking.
New Zealand-born Cutfield is not in custody, but cannot leave the country while the investigation continues, according to Italian prosecutors. According to Reuters, maritime law gives a captain full responsibility for the ship, its crew and everything on board.
A prosecutor said over the weekend that those killed were likely sleeping during the storm, which prevented them from escaping. On Saturday, both the prosecutor and the head of the fire brigade recovery team said five bodies were found in the same compartment of the plane, which could mean they were searching for air pockets during the sinking.
Investigators cautioned that the circumstances of the sinking are largely unclear, including whether there was a black box on board, and if some of the ship's hatches were left open – which would explain why it sank so quickly. Why drowned?
The CEO of the firm, which owns Italian boat builder C Group, claimed the boat was “unsinkable”. Giovanni Costantino told Sky News that the ships are “the safest in the most absolute sense.”
Rescuers are expected to call Bayesian — named after the statistical theory on which Lynch made his fortune — in the coming weeks. Under Italian law, the cost of raising and salvaging a ship falls on the shipowner.
Central prosecutor Ambrogio Cartuccio said on Saturday that since the bakery's company owns the ship, they should find a salvage company and pick up the ship, which has since been handed over to Italian authorities as part of the investigation. .
After the yacht is raised, investigators will determine if the hatches were open during the storm, Cartusio added.
Italian prosecutors will also investigate whether the ship's chief mate was on the bridge when the ship sank, and if anyone tried to warn passengers of impending danger.