• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Brother of missing billionaire on yacht says missing people could still be alive due to 'air pockets'

Home> News> World News

Updated 12:27 23 Aug 2024 GMT+1Published 10:00 21 Aug 2024 GMT+1

Brother of missing billionaire on yacht says missing people could still be alive due to 'air pockets'

Jonathan Bloomer's twin brother believes the banker could still be holding on

Olivia Burke

Olivia Burke

The twin brother of missing billionaire Jonathan Bloomer who was on board the superyacht which sank off the coast of Italy said he has not given up hope on him yet - and that there might be air pockets possibly keeping him alive.

Jeremy Bloomer said he has felt 'numb' since learning the news that the £14 million vessel which his sibling was holidaying on with his wife Judy had capsized at around 5am local time on Monday (19 August) near Sicily.

Chilling CCTV captured how the boat 'vanished in 60 seconds' as a waterspout tornado reportedly struck while the yacht - named Bayesian - was anchored, seeing it disappear below the surface.

Advert

Rescuers managed to save 15 passengers with the help of a heroic captain, but tragically, several people - including the tech tycoon dubbed the 'British Bill Gates' - still remain missing.

The search for Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah, Morgan Stanley chairman Jonathan, his wife, Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo has now entered it's third day.

Despite the time that has passed, Jeremy said he is keeping his 'fingers crossed' that he will be reunited with his twin.

Advert

Speaking to the BBC, he said his family is 'coping the best they can' amid the ordeal, but added they are holding out hope that Jonathan, 70, might have been able to find an air pocket in the sunken vessel.

Discussing the ongoing search, Jeremy explained: "It's a slow process and it will take time. So there might be air pockets, but we don't know.

"He was my older [brother] by half an hour. So it means a lot when you lose a twin brother.

"It's still wait and see, so fingers crossed."

Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy were onboard the ill-fated yacht (PA)
Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy were onboard the ill-fated yacht (PA)

Advert

Jeremy described the situation as 'terrible' and something that's 'beyond your wildest imagination', before adding: "I'm just numb, just numb. That's it, you don't know what to think and you can't believe it's happened."

Experts have suggested that air pockets could in fact have formed as the yacht sank so quickly.

Dr Jean-Baptiste Souppez, a senior lecturer of mechanical, biomedical and design engineering at Aston University said that the fact the Bayesian is intact on it's side 'could favour the formation of small air pockets inside'.

"This is obviously highly speculative and impossible to predict accurately," he told Sky.

The Italian coastguard has not yet ruled out the theory that the missing passengers may be alive, as like Jeremy suspects, they could have access to an air pocket.

Advert

His twin brother hopes the missing passengers have access to an air pocket (ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)
His twin brother hopes the missing passengers have access to an air pocket (ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Vincenzo Zagarola said rescuers are working under the assumption that they are 'still inside the boat'.

He told PA news agency: “We think they are still inside the boat, that is our very hard idea. Our search and rescue activity by sea and air has gone on for around 36 hours.

"Of course, we do not exclude that they are not inside the boat, but we know the boat sank quickly," Zagarola said. "We suppose that the six people missing may not have had time to get out of the boat."

On the chances of the six being alive, he added: "Never say never, but reasonably the answer should be not."

Advert

Fire fighter Vigili del Fuoco has referred to the search operation as 'complex', while explaining that underwater divers have been taking 12-minute shifts to visit the wreckage.

Brit entrepreneur Brent Hoberman, who has been friends with missing Mike Lynch for 28 years, is also optimistic.

He told the BBC that he believes his 'quick-witted and smart' friend could still have 'an amazing second act'.

Featured Image Credit: Perini Navi Press Office/Ben Gurr - WPA Pool/ Getty Images

Topics: News, Travel, World News, Bayesian yacht

Olivia Burke
Olivia Burke

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

X

@livburke_

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

2 hours ago
3 hours ago
  • 2 hours ago

    How man declared 'legally dead' walked into a courtroom to apply for a driving license

    And the astonishing part is, the judge said he was still legally dead

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    Doctor issues warning about major mistake millions make while driving that is ‘slowing your brain down’

    Most cars have this button on the dashboard - but be mindful of how long you're using it for

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    Expert reveals disturbing reason why you should never tell your dark secrets to ChatGPT

    Perhaps a set of code using data it's mined from the internet archive isn't your BFF?

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    The dark happenings behind the scenes of ChatGPT that many people don't know about

    In 2023, OpenAI was subjected to controversy following a TIME magazine investigation into ChatGPT

    News
  • Inside the luxury £30m yacht that sank in Italy with billionaire Mike Lynch on board
  • British billionaire Mike Lynch one of five bodies recovered from sunken yacht disaster
  • Captain of boat that helped rescue passengers on sunken £14m yacht speaks out on moment it went underwater
  • Crew member on board yacht disaster that killed 'British Bill Gates' Mike Lynch describes moment they were 'thrown into water'