Tributes paid to Mike Lynch, 'genius father of modern AI', after death in Bayesian yacht sinking

Tributes have been paid to "genius polymath" Mike Lynch after his body and that of his daughter were recovered from the sea off the coast of Sicily.

The tech boss's luxury yacht, Bayesian, was moored around half a mile off the coast of Porticello when it sank as the area was hit by a storm.The bodies of Mr Lynch, Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo, and his wife Neda Morvillo have all now been recovered from the sea, while a sixth body, believed to be Mr Lynch's 18-year-old Hannah, was found on Friday morning.

Tributes from his friends and former colleagues described his contribution to the advancement of artificial intelligencem, and reflected on his personal warmth.

David Tabizel, Lynch's co-founder at Autonomy - the company that was sold to Hewlett-Packard for $11bn in 2011, and later subject to fraud investigations - said: "RIP to my friend Mike Lynch. He was exhausting, exhilarating and incisive.

"A witty, loyal polymath with a mind like a razor blade. A glorious professional companion and true friend.

"Britain's Bill Gates? Not really. Britain's Steve Jobs. The father of modern AI.

"His sense of fun and humour and inner child was on full display and was great company. When I met him, he had just designed a video game console, the Atari Jaguar. With a giant train-set in his garden and sense of the absurd he was a pleasure to spend time with."

"He’d have gone on to achieve even greater things if he’d lived, I’m sure. He could do anything if he put his mind to it. Britain today needs as much rational leadership to climb out of economic malaise Dr Lynch would have been the ultimate, inspirational leader of such a movement."

Mr Lynch, who was 59, lived in Loudham Hall near Woodbridge in Suffolk and served as Deputy Lieutenant of Suffolk.

Clare, Countess of Euston, Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk, said: "Mike was one of Suffolk’s most inspirational citizens.

"He was quite simply a genius. A global leader in his field but so much more than that.

"A kind and compassionate man who was always ready to help, hugely generous, the best of friends, but it will be his warm and wonderful smile that will be impossible for me to forget."

Following the sale of Autonomy, Mr Lynch co-founded Darktrace, a cyber security firm based in Cambridge.

A spokesperson for Darktrace said: "We are shocked and saddened by the news... Mike was an active champion in the UK's technology sector and a committed husband and father.

"His loss will be felt by many. Our thoughts are with his family and all the families who have lost loved ones in this awful event."

Eleanor Lightbody, the chief executive of Luminance, a Cambridge-based AI company that Mr Lynch also founded, said: "Mike was a visionary unlike any other. He had a unique ability to spot the next technological revolution and solve tomorrow’s challenges before others even knew they were coming. "Beyond that, it was his connection to people that made him special. He had a steadfast belief in the UK’s technology sector, in our incredible academic institutions, and in the talent he took the time to spot and nurture, regardless of background or discipline.

"Above all, Mike was a kind man who had an impact on many and will be sorely missed. I feel honoured to have known him, worked with him and learnt from him over the years."

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