The captain of the Bayesian, one of nine crew members who survived the sinking of the superyacht last week, is officially under investigation, his lawyers have confirmed. Prosecutors earlier said they had filed a dossier "alleging the crime of negligent shipwreck and manslaughter," but they did not name any crew members. According to reports in Italian media, captain James Cutfield, a 51-year-old New Zealander, was questioned for more than two hours on Sunday in connection with the sinking off the coast of Sicily, which killed British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and six others, the Telegraph reports.
"Our client is deeply affected by this ordeal," Giovanni Rizzuti, one of Cutfield's lawyers, tells the Guardian. "We are currently assessing, with other legal representatives, the defence strategy and examining the technical aspects of the case." Aldo Mordiglia, another lawyer, tells the New York Times that Cutfield is being investigated for possible manslaughter and negligence but that no restrictions have been placed on his movements.
Reuters notes that "being placed under investigation in Italy does not imply guilt and does not mean formal charges will necessarily follow." Sources tell ANSA that Cutfield was asked about issues including whether doors and hatches were closed and when alarms were sounded after a possible waterspout hit the vessel during a severe storm. Rizzuti tells Reuters that other crew members were questioned on Monday and that Cutfield will be questioned again on Tuesday. (More superyachts stories.)
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