Mike Lynch, the 59-year-old British tech investor, is among those missing after a tornado hit a luxury yacht he was on, sinking it off the coast of Sicily, Italy, early Monday, a source told reporters.

Lynch made most of his money by starting Autonomy, a technology company that HP bought for $11 billion in 2011. Lynch’s lawyer disclosed that his total assets are approximately $450 million.

The sale of Autonomy was one of the largest tech deals in Britain back then, but it turned out badly when HP decreased Autonomy’s value by $8.8 billion within a year. HP had hoped that acquiring Autonomy would boost its software division, but the sale has been mired in legal issues, including a fraud trial.

Prosecutors said Lynch and former Autonomy finance executive Stephen Chamberlain worked together to boost Autonomy’s revenue before selling to HP.

In June, Lynch was cleared of 15 charges – one of conspiracy and 14 of wire fraud – in a San Francisco court. Lynch was surprised by the verdict. He told a UK newspaper, “When you hear that answer, you jump universes. If this had gone the wrong way, it would have been the end of life as I have known it in any sense.”

Established in 1996, Autonomy grew to become the largest software company in Britain and was included in the prestigious FTSE 100 index. Lynch received praise from experts and was invited to provide guidance to the British government on technology and innovation.

The boat Lynch was on, called the Bayesian, is connected to his wife, Angela Bacares, who was one of the people saved. According to ownership records from Equasis, the 56-meter yacht is owned by Revtom Limited, a company owned by his wife.

Fifteen other individuals were also saved.
A child was flown to the children’s hospital in Palermo, and eight people were taken to the hospital in total, as reported by the mayor’s office. The Coast Guard discovered one body on the yacht’s hull.