Two more crew members from Lynch’s yacht under investigation, source says

PALERMO, Italy - Italian prosecutors are investigating two more crew members from British tech tycoon Mike Lynch’s yacht, along with its captain, in connection with the vessel’s sinking over a week ago, a judicial source said on Aug 28.

Mr Lynch and six other people were killed

when the British-flagged Bayesian, a 56m-long yacht, capsized and sank on Aug 19 within minutes of being hit by a pre-dawn storm while anchored off northern Sicily.

The captain of the luxury yacht declined to respond to prosecutors during questioning on Aug 27, one of his lawyers said.

Mr James Cutfield, a 51-year old New Zealand national, was

put under investigation for

manslaughter and shipwreck

on Aug 26

by Italian prosecutors.

"The captain exercised his right to remain silent for two fundamental reasons," lawyer Giovanni Rizzuti told reporters.

"First, he's very worn out. Second, we were appointed only on Monday and for a thorough and correct defence case we need to acquire a set of data that at the moment we don't have."

Ship engineer Tim Parker Eaton and sailor Matthew Griffith are being investigated over the same crimes, the source said, adding that Parker Eaton is suspected of having failed to protect the yacht’s engine room and operating systems.

Mr Griffith was on watch duty on the night of the incident, the source said.

Being placed under investigation in Italy does not imply guilt and does not mean formal charges will necessarily follow.

It is still unclear whether other crew members or other people will also be placed under investigation.

Prosecutors said

their investigation would take time,

and would require the wreck to be salvaged from the sea.

The Bayesian is currently lying on its right side, at a depth of around 50 metres.

The coastguard is conducting activities to monitor the environmental conditions in the area where the yacht sank, it said in a statement on Aug 27.

"At the moment, we don't register any leaks from tanks and there are no traces of oil pollution," it said. REUTERS