James Catfield, the captain of British technology tycoon Mike Lynch’s yacht “Bayesian”, which sank near Palermo on August 19, pleaded not guilty and accepted responsibility and refused to answer questions from prosecutors.
This was the first questioning of Catfield, 51, since he was investigated on suspicion of multiple manslaughter and causing the shipwreck that killed Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah and five others.
Prosecutors in Termini Imerese officially placed Catfield under investigation yesterday, ANSA reported.
A total of seven people died in the shipwreck and 15 people survived, including all crew members except the cook Recaldo Thomas.
During a two-hour meeting with state prosecutors yesterday, the captain answered questions including whether the doors and hatches were closed and at what point the alarm was activated after the yacht was hit by a storm surge.
Before working for Lynch, Catfield captained luxury yachts in the Mediterranean for years, and also worked for a Turkish billionaire.
ANSA has learned that more people could be put under investigation in connection with the shipwreck.
