Next 24 hours crucial to find tycoon Mike Lynch in Sicily

Dr Lynch, who is from Wickham Market, is among six people missing after luxury yacht Bayesian sank during a tornado off the coast of Sicily at 5am on Monday. 

His 18-year-old daughter Hannah is also missing, alongside chairman of Morgan Stanley International Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, Clifford Chane lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo.

The yacht was moored about half a mile off the coast of Porticello (Image: PA Media/Jonathan Brady) The wreckage of the Bayesian is resting on the seabed at a depth of 50m and it is believed the tourists may be trapped inside. 

Vincenzo Zagarola, of the Italian Coastguard, said: "We think they are still inside the boat, that is our very hard idea. 

"Of course, we do not exclude that they are not inside the boat, but we know the boat sank quickly."

READ MORE: Everything we know as Suffolk tycoon missing after yacht sinks

Dr Jean-Baptiste Souppez, a senior lecturer in mechanical, biomedical and design engineering at Aston University, said the next 24 hours are "crucial" to find any survivors trapped inside the wreck.

He said: "The speed at which the vessel sank and the fact that it remains intact and on its side could favour the formation of small air pockets inside. 

"But whether air pockets formed on the Bayesian is simply impossible to predict."

The six missing tourists are believed to be trapped inside the wreck (Image: PA Media/Jonathan Brady) Twenty-two passengers and crew were on board the yacht when it began to sink while 15 people, including Dr Lynch's wife Angela Bacares, were rescued after escaping on a lifeboat.

The boat trip was believed to be in celebration of Dr Lynch's acquittal in a US fraud case relating to the sale of his firm Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard.

Further inspections of the yacht's internal hull were carried out on Wednesday morning and it has been reported authorities are investigating whether hatches left open by crew members contributed to the sinking.