Captain of Bayes superyacht ‘under formal investigation for manslaughter’ after tragic sinking left seven people dead

ITALIAN prosecutors have reportedly opened a manslaughter investigation into the captain of the Bayesian superyacht after seven people died on board.

James Cutfield, 51, of New Zealand, is being investigated for manslaughter and shipwreck, La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera reported.

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Prosecutors said the victims tried to climb to the side of the doomed 184-foot, £30 million ship in a desperate battle for air holes after it sank in a storm off Sicily.

British technology magnate Mike Lynch and four other people were found dead in the first cabin on the left side of the luxury yacht.

His 18-year-old daughter Hannah was alone in the third boat, which sank stern first and then turned to the right on the seabed. The yacht's cook also died.

Fifteen of the 22 people on board, including Lynch's wife Angela Bacares (57), were able to save themselves on a life raft.

According to chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio, the victims were sleeping when the unusual weather struck at around 5 a.m. local time on Monday last week and were unable to escape.

The fact that someone is being investigated in Italy does not automatically mean that they are guilty – nor does it necessarily mean that they will be charged.

Under maritime law, a captain has full responsibility for the ship and crew, as well as for the safety of everyone on board.

Cutfield and his eight surviving crew members have not yet commented publicly on the disaster.

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