ROME (AP) — Prosecutors in Italy have opened an investigation into the captain of a superyacht that sank last week during a storm off the coast of Sicily, killing seven people, Italian media reported Monday.
According to Italian newspapers, James Cutfield, a 51-year-old New Zealander, is being investigated for possible manslaughter and guilty shipwreck.
Under Italian law, being under investigation does not mean someone is guilty and does not necessarily lead to criminal charges.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Termini Imerese did not respond to telephone calls to confirm the reports.
On Saturday, Chief Prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio confirmed that an investigation had been launched, but said no suspect had yet been identified. He said his team would consider every possible element of responsibility, including that of the captain, crew, those responsible for supervision and the yacht’s manufacturer.
Cutfield was one of 15 survivors of the sinking that killed British technology magnate Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah and five others.
The Bayesian, a 56-metre (184-foot) British-flagged luxury yacht, sank near the Mediterranean island in southern Italy on Monday.
Investigators are investigating how a sailing ship considered “unsinkable” by its manufacturer, Italian shipyard Perini Navi, sank while a nearby sailboat was left largely unscathed.
Prosecutors said the event was “extremely rapid” and could have been a “downburst” – a localized, strong wind that comes from a thunderstorm and quickly dissipates as it hits the ground.
The crew was rescued, except for the cook. Six passengers were trapped in the hull.
