Sources to CNN: Hard drives in safes – could be of interest to Russia and China
When the luxury yacht Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily, IT tycoon Mike Lynch was one of those who could not be saved.
The authorities initially feared wreck looters would join the hunt, but now have a new concern – Lynch is said to have connections to several intelligence agencies.
The ship is now being monitored extra carefully and a source tells CNN that there may be sensitive information on board – which both China and Russia may be interested in.
When the luxury yacht Bayesian sank in August, about 20 people were on board, fifteen of them could be saved, but seven people died in connection with the event, which became world news.
In connection with the sinking, the British IT magnate Mike Lynch and his two daughters died. The incident is being investigated as multiple cases of homicide and the investigation is trying to clarify how the hunt could go down so quickly.
Lynch had connections to intelligence services
Initially, the local police in Italy were concerned that wreck looters would descend on the hunt, which lies at a depth of 50 meters. Now sources told CNN that you have a new concern – there may be sensitive information on board the ship.
Through his various IT companies, Mike Lynch had connections to both American and British intelligence services, including through his security company Darktrace.
Links also exist between Lynch’s wife’s company and former British Prime Ministers David Cameron and Theresa May, who received advice from the wife’s company. The same company also owned the luxury yacht.
Data: Sensitive information in safe
An anonymous source now tells CNN that there are waterproof safes on board the yacht, containing two hard drives with incredibly sensitive and classified information. The fear is that the information is of interest to several foreign governments, including China and Russia.
Several of the 15 people on board who were rescued have told authorities that Lynch did not trust cloud-based services. Instead, he kept hard drives with data in a safe space on the luxury yacht when he was out at sea, a source told CNN.
Strengthened coverage of the luxury yacht
Additional surveillance of the hunt has now been requested, which they want to monitor both on the surface and underwater.
“A formal request has been approved and implemented for additional security of the wreckage until it can be salvaged,” Francesco Venuto of the Sicilian civil protection agency told CNN.
The wreck is supposed to be salvaged within the next few weeks as part of the criminal investigation. The authorities have previously said that it will be difficult to investigate the reason why the yacht sank, if it is not salvaged.