The superyacht, named Bayesian, capsized at about 5am off Palermo and had mostly British passengers on board

British technology tycoon Mike Lynch is among six tourists missing after a luxury yacht sank in bad weather off the coast of Sicily, sources said.

A body, believed to be that of the vessel’s chef, has been found and 15 people were rescued, according to local media. Four of the missing passengers are British and two are American, Italian news website la Reppublica stated.

The superyacht, named Bayesian, capsized at about 5am off Palermo and was flying a British flag, according to ship-tracking site Marine Traffic. The body was found near the wreck at a depth of 50m (164ft), fire and rescue services said.

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Who is Mike Lynch?

Mike Lynch is the founder of software firm Autonomy and was once dubbed the UK’s Bill Gates. The businessman once hailed a shining example of British ingenuity, was extradited to the US last May for a trial that acquitted him on all 15 felony counts over the 11-billion dollar (£8.64 billion) purchase of his company.

The 11-week criminal trial in San Francisco looked into Silicon Valley pioneer Hewlett Packard (HP)’s 2011 acquisition of Autonomy, a business software company that Mr Lynch founded and then oversaw as chief executive in Britain.

He faced more than 20 years in US prison if convicted of the fraud and conspiracy allegations, and the Times reported that he spent 13 months under house arrest awaiting the trial that ended in June this year.

A spokesperson for Mr Lynch said there was no comment regarding missing reports.

What happened to the Bayesian yacht?

The yacht sank as a fierce storm battered the area overnight. The daily Il Giornale di Sicilia newspaper reported that the vessel had mostly British passengers on board, but also people from New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland and British-French citizens.

One of the survivors, a British tourist named Charlotte, told la Reppublica she held her one-year-old daughter, Sofia, to stop her from drowning. She said: “I held her afloat with all my strength, my arms stretched upwards to keep her from drowning.

“It was all dark. In the water I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I screamed for help but all I could hear around me was the screams of others.”

Charlotte and Sofia are being treated in hospital, as is Charlotte’s husband, James. Karsten Borner, captain of a nearby boat, told journalists those missing included the Bayesian’s owner and a child, news agency Reuters reported.

He said his crew took on board some survivors who were on a life raft, including three who were seriously injured.

A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “We are in contact with the local authorities following an incident in Sicily, and stand ready to provide consular support to British nationals affected.”

Bayesian completed a number of sailings in recent days, calling at various ports in Sicily, according to ship-tracking website VesselFinder.

The superyacht can accommodate up to 12 guests in six suites. She was built in 2008 by Italian company Perini Navi. Her registered owner is listed as Revtom Ltd.

There is little publicly available online information about the company, which appears to be based on the Isle of Man.