A technology tycoon who went to school in Woodford Green is reportedly one of six people missing from a luxury yacht after it sunk in bad weather off the coast of Sicily.
The BBC is reporting that Ilford-born Mike Lynch is missing from the Bayesian superyacht, which sank at around 4.30am on Monday (August 19).
He is one of four British passengers yet to be found, with two American passengers also missing according to Italian news website la Reppublica.
Mr Lynch grew up near Chelmsford and was a student at Bancroft's School in Woodford after receiving a scholarship.
He went to Christ's College Cambridge and its alumni website says he was awarded an OBE in 2006.
Among the companies founded by Mr Lynch were those specialising in products for the music recording industry and computer-based fingerprint recognition, it added.
One man has been confirmed dead in the sinking, the BBC said.
Local media has reported the discovery of a body believed to be that of the vessel's chef.
Mr Lynch went to Bancroft's School (Image: Yui Mok/PA Wire) Fire and rescue services discovered the body close to the sunken wreck at a depth of 50 metres (164 feet).
A total of 15 people have already been rescued after the yacht capsized at around 5am off Palermo, according to the Marine Traffic ship-tracking site.
The yacht sank following a fierce storm that hit the area overnight.
A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “We are in contact with the local authorities following an incident in Sicily, and stand ready to provide consular support to British nationals affected.”
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A British couple and their one-year-old daughter are reportedly being treated in hospital.
The superyacht had been recorded to have completed numerous trips in days before the incident, stopping at various ports in Sicily according to ship-tracking website, VesselFinder.
Newspaper Il Giornale di Sicilia reported that the occupants of the boat were mostly British, but passengers from New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Ireland and British-French citizens were onboard.
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