Italian prosecutors have opened a murder investigation into a luxury yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily, they told a conference on Saturday. The tragedy in the Mediterranean left seven people dead.
The authorities, led by Ambrogio Cartosio, clarified that the investigation is not aimed at a specific person.
Hannah Lynch, 18, became the latest fatality to be found after the crash of her father, tycoon Mike Lynch, who also died.
The sinking has left some experts perplexed. The yacht’s builder himself expressed some doubts and declared the structure “unsinkable.”
Of the 22 people on board at the time of the disaster, 15 survived, including Lynch’s wife. The boat’s captain and other survivors were questioned about the sinking, but no one could explain what happened.
Another prosecutor at the same conference explained that the captain had been “extremely cooperative” in his statements. Removing the boat from the sea could prove important for prosecutors to pinpoint the cause of the accident.
However, the operation is expensive, time-consuming and complicated. “The boat’s owners are interested in its rescue and have assured that they will cooperate,” Cartosio said, adding that the victims are not legally obliged to remain in Italy.