A New York City lawyer who died after a yacht sank off the coast of Sicily wrote a haunting post on LinkedIn two months before he joined the doomed voyage.
In one of his only posts on the site, Christopher Morvillo, 59, thanked his legal team after they helped British tech tycoon Mike Lynch win a fraud trial and discussed living “happily ever after.”
Lynch owned the luxury yacht Bayesian, which sank early on Monday.
Five bodies, believed to be those of Lynch, Morvillo, Morvillo’s wife Neda, British banker Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy have now be recovered by authorities, according to The Associated Press. One woman remains missing. She has not been identified, but Hannah Lynch, Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, is reportedly unaccounted for.
The remaining passengers have all been found. One person, the ship’s chef, died in the storm.
In the LinkedIn post, Morvillo thanked his legal team and his family, and ended with a now poignant flourish.
“And, finally, a huge thank you to my patient and incredible wife, Neda Morvillo, and my two strong, brilliant, and beautiful daughters, Sabrina Morvillo and Sophia Morvillo,” he wrote. “None of this would have been possible without your love and support. I am so glad to be home. And they all lived happily ever after….”
Morvillo was a partner at Clifford Chance, a white-collar law firm with offices on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. He previously worked as a federal prosecutor who investigated the September 11 terror attacks, according to the New York Post.
A statement from Clifford Chance, obtained by US outlet People, read: “We are deeply saddened and still coming to terms with this terrible loss. Our utmost priority is to continue to support Chris’s family at this very distressing time. Our thoughts extend to the families and loved ones of all those affected.”
The spokesperson added: “We wish to express our deepest condolences and our love and support to Chris’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time. We also want to thank the Italian authorities and rescue teams for everything they have done.”
The Independent has reached out to Clifford Chance for comment.
Prior to his death, Morvillo and his legal team successfully defended Lynch from fraud allegations brought by Hewlett-Packard stemming from the tycoon’s sale of his Autonomy company to HP for $11bn in 2011.
“This verdict closes the book on a relentless 13-year effort to pin HP’s well-documented ineptitude on Dr. Lynch. Thankfully, the truth has finally prevailed. We thank Dr. Lynch for his trust throughout this ordeal and hope that he can now return home to England to resume his life and continue innovating.” Morvillo and his co-counsel wrote in a press release after winning the case.
The 160-foot luxury sailboat was off the cost of Porticello, Italy — near Sicily — when it ran afoul of a small waterspout in the Mediterranean. The Bayesian likely capsized after its mast was broken by the storm, Salvatore Cocina, the head of Sicily’s Civil Protection, told CNN.
The ship’s hull sank to a depth of 164 feet underwater. Rescue trips to the hull had been slow going as divers can only spend 12 minutes that deep before having to resurface, according to fire rescue officials.
A statement shared by Lynch’s lawyers on behalf of his family read: “The Lynch family is devastated, in shock and is being comforted and supported by family and friends. Their thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy.
“They would like to sincerely thank the Italian coastguard, emergency services and all those who helped in the rescue. Their one request now is that their privacy be respected at this time of unspeakable grief.”
