ROME, Aug 26 (Reuters) – Italian authorities have initiated an investigation into the captain of the superyacht that sank off the coast of Sicily last week during a storm, claiming the lives of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and six others, according to a judicial source on Monday.

James Cutfield, a 51-year-old from New Zealand, is facing charges of manslaughter and shipwreck, as confirmed by previous reports from Italian news outlets.

Being under investigation does not equate to guilt, nor does it guarantee that formal charges will be brought. Authorities need to issue notifications to individuals under investigation prior to carrying out autopsies on the deceased.

The investigation’s decision followed Cutfield’s second round of questioning. Cutfield has not been reachable by Reuters for comments.

It remains uncertain if other crew members or individuals will also face investigations alongside the captain.

The British-registered Bayesian, measuring 184 feet, had 22 individuals on board when it capsized due to a sudden storm while anchored off the northern coast of Sicily.

Among the bodies found in the aftermath of the accident were Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, Jonathan Bloomer, a former non-executive chair of Morgan Stanley International, alongside his wife Judy Bloomer, and Chris Morvillo, a lawyer with Clifford Chance, along with his spouse, Neda Morvillo. The yacht’s cook, Recaldo “Ricardo” Thomas, was also identified shortly after the sinking.

Fifteen people survived the tragedy, including Lynch’s wife, whose company owned the yacht.

While the yacht encountered an unexpected weather event, the head of the prosecutor’s office in Termini Imerese, Ambrogio Cartosio, suggested on Saturday that potential negligence leading to multiple manslaughter and shipwreck charges might be considered.

According to maritime regulations, the captain holds full accountability for the ship, its crew, and all passengers aboard.

Cutfield and the eight crew members who survived have yet to make a statement regarding the incident.

Franco Romani, a naval architect involved in the yacht’s design, noted in an interview with daily La Stampa on Monday that “the Bayesian was designed to withstand any weather conditions.” He also mentioned the possibility of water entering through an open side hatch.