Italian prosecutors are investigating the sinking of the luxury superyacht Moment and have found safes that may contain sensitive intelligence data. Divers recovered video equipment from the wreckage, and fears have been raised that foreign governments like China and Russia may be interested in the boat. The yacht, associated with British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, had watertight safes with super-encrypted hard drives containing confidential intelligence information.
Lynch, through his companies, had ties with multiple intelligence services, including those of Britain and America, particularly through his cyber security company, Darktrace. The recovery team believes that the sunken yacht may hold valuable intelligence data, sparking concerns about potential espionage from hostile countries.
The wreckage of the yacht is expected to be raised in the following weeks as part of a criminal investigation into the sinking. Additional security measures have been requested to protect the safes and the potential intelligence data they contain until the boat can be salvaged.
The yacht’s captain, James Cutfield, is under investigation for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges. He has not been cooperating with prosecutors, citing fatigue and the need for more data for a proper defense. The tragic incident claimed the lives of Lynch, his daughter Hannah, and five others, with only 15 survivors.
The recovery team is working diligently to salvage the sunken yacht and retrieve any valuable data it may hold. The potential presence of confidential intelligence information in the safes adds a layer of complexity to the investigation. The involvement of Lynch’s companies with various intelligence services raises questions about the security implications of the yacht sinking and the safeguarding of sensitive data.
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining the security of sensitive information, especially when it involves intelligence services and high-profile individuals like Mike Lynch. It also highlights the risks associated with luxury yachts and the need for proper safety measures to prevent such tragic events in the future.
