The wreckage of a luxury superyacht, the Bayesian, lying submerged off the Italian coast, is believed to be a potential treasure trove of classified information from several nations, including the United States.
The ill-fated vessel, anchored near Sicily, met its tragic end last month when an unexpected "water tornado" caused it to capsize, claiming the lives of seven passengers. Among the deceased was British billionaire Mike Lynch, often referred to as the "British Bill Gates," who "was associated with British, American and other intelligence services through his various companies, including the cyber security company he founded, Darktrace."
According to RedState, the initial response from Italian authorities was to bolster security around the wreckage to deter potential looters from plundering the sunken ship for valuables. However, the security measures were significantly heightened when survivors revealed that Lynch, a former adviser to British prime ministers David Cameron and Theresa May on matters of science, technology, and cyber security, did not trust cloud services and opted to store his confidential files on encrypted hard drives kept in water-tight safes aboard the yacht.
The contents of Lynch's files remain a mystery, but the potential significance of the information has warranted the increased security measures. The data could be of immense value to foreign governments, including Russia and China, leading prosecutors to demand both above-surface and underwater surveillance of the yacht. A formal request has been accepted and implemented for additional security of the wreckage until it can be raised, a representative from the Sicilian civil protection authority confirmed to CNN.
The Bayesian, owned by Lynch's widow, "is thought to have watertight safes containing two super-encrypted hard drives that hold highly classified information, including passcodes and other sensitive data," a source involved in the salvage operation disclosed.
Simultaneously, a criminal investigation is underway to determine the cause of the sinking of the supposedly unsinkable superyacht on the early morning of August 19, while most passengers were asleep in their cabins. The focus of the investigation is on the surviving crew members, particularly Captain James Cutfield, who is legally responsible for the safety and security of all onboard under maritime law.
The high-profile nature of Lynch's demise, coupled with his connections to the international intelligence community, necessitates careful scrutiny of the salvage operation and the secure retrieval of the encrypted hard drives. Italian officials are tasked with overseeing the security measures, a responsibility that might be more reassuring to Americans given the current lack of trust in their federal law enforcement agencies.
While it is not suggested that the files, currently resting 164 feet beneath Sicilian waters, contain any information that could serve as an "October surprise" in the upcoming presidential election, it would indeed be a fitting twist for 2024 if such a revelation were to emerge from the depths of the Mediterranean.
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