‘Taken on the precipice of her life’: Family and friends pay tribute to Hannah Lynch

Friends and family of Mike Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter Hannah have said that “for her to be taken on the precipice of her life is cruel beyond belief” after her body was recovered from the Bayesian superyacht.

A talented student, Ms Lynch scored 100 per cent in her English Literature GCSE and was a scholar at Latymer Upper School, in west London, where she was a regular prize-winner.

She had won a place at the University of Oxford to read English and joined friends and family on the Bayesian to celebrate after receiving her A-level results last week.

Colleagues, friends and business leaders all paid tribute to the teenager, describing her as “charming and ferociously intelligent”.

Hannah’s sister, Esme Lynch, described her as “my little angel, my star” and said: “Hannah often burst into my bedroom and lay down with me. Sometimes beaming with a smile, sometimes cheeky, sometimes for advice.

“No matter what, she brought boundless love to me. She was endlessly caring, passionately mad, unintentionally hilarious and the most amazing, supportive and joyful sister and best friend to me.

“And on top of all this, she had even more love to give endlessly to all her friends and passion to give to her incredible studies and goals. She is my little angel, my star.”

Jon Mitropoulos-Monk, the head of English at Latymer Upper School, said: “I’ve never taught someone who combined sky-high intellectual ability with warmth and enthusiasm in the way Hannah did.

“She lit up the classroom with her energy, passion for learning and sheer intelligence, though never with a hint of arrogance. One of the best English students in the country, she scored 100 per cent in her English literature GCSE.

“By age 16, she’d read Joyce, Faulkner and Nabokov. Beyond that, she devoured the writings of Angela Carter, Joseph Conrad and John Donne. She loved literature, learning and life. She was so excited to start studying English at Oxford, a goal she had worked so hard towards.

“When she got her place, she sought out every single member of the Latymer Upper English department to thank them individually and give them a hug. She achieved everything she did with extraordinary levels of grace and fortitude that few others can say they possess.

“I taught Hannah for four years. I will remember her for what she taught me – kindness, compassion and commitment.”

Su Wijeratna, the headmistress of Latymer Upper School, said: “Hannah was a remarkable young woman and a gifted student who was deeply loved by all of us here at Latymer Upper School. She had the brightest of futures ahead of her, and was so excited to be starting Oxford this year to study her beloved English.

“She was driven by a profound love of words that connected her to the world and her loved ones. As a community we are shocked and heartbroken over Hannah’s death, and we send our thoughts and prayers to her family and all who knew her.”

Ms Lynch was one of three pupils in her year group of more than 150 to be awarded a prize for outstanding academic achievement last year.

She also won Latymer Upper School’s public speaking and debating prize last year, and has previously won awards for poetry, English, religion and philosophy, and for short documentaries she produced. Her parents were frequent donors to the school, contributing to Latymer’s bursary fund in 2023, 2022 and 2021.

Angelica Read, Ms Lynch’s best friend, said: “Hannah lived, loved, cared, thought and felt more deeply than anyone I have ever known. Growing up with her and being best friends has been the greatest privilege of my life. She had so much love for poetry and for the natural world, and I really believe she will live on in these things and in our hearts forever.”

Gracie Lea, a classmate, added: “When I think of Hannah, I think of poetry, sunshine, and her beautiful eyes. She was easy to love – sincere, dedicated, fiercely intelligent and genuinely kind. I’ll always remember her smiling.”

Katya Lewis, a friend, said: “The love Hannah had for everything she held dear was passionate and pure. She had a warm and beautiful soul. Being with Hannah made me feel whole and happy. She is the most special friend anyone could ask for, and I will always love Hannah.”

Patrick Jacob, a family friend added: “Hannah was charming and ferociously intelligent with an insatiable thirst for life and knowledge. She was also warm, loving and deeply considerate; remarkably for her age.

“I am 50 years older than her, and in my life I have never met anybody like Hannah. We have lost one of our brightest stars whose future held so much promise.  Her loss is unbearable.”

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Specialist cave divers recovered Ms Lynch’s body from the sunken £30 million superyacht on the fifth day of searching.

She had joined her father, a UK tech tycoon, along with other guests to celebrate his court victory after he was acquitted of fraud in San Francisco.

Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of Morgan Stanley International and the insurance company Hiscox, and his wife Judy, a psychotherapist, died when Mr Lynch’s superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily on Monday.

Their deaths were confirmed on Thursday, along with those of Mr Lynch, Chris Morvillo, 59, a Clifford Chance lawyer, and his wife, Neda.

Andrew Kanter, a close friend and colleague of Mr Lynch, said: “Mike was the most brilliant mind and caring person I have ever known. Over nearly a quarter century, I had the privilege of working beside someone unrivalled in their understanding of technology and business.

“There is simply no other UK technology entrepreneur of our generation who has had such an impact on so many people. His passion for life, knowledge and all those around him was instantly inspiring to everyone he met, and he will be sorely missed.”

Sushovan Hussain, also a close friend and colleague, said: “My wife and I are utterly devastated by the deaths of so many of our dear friends. No words can express our sorrow. “I have known Mike for over 40 years, since our schooldays, and for most of that time our lives have been inextricably linked.

“I was thrilled when he was acquitted, and now his departure leaves an unfillable hole in my life. We have known Hannah since her birth, and for her to be taken on the precipice of her life is cruel beyond belief. Our hearts bleed for Angela and her remaining daughter. 

“Steve was by my side for many years, and I had the honour of calling him, Jonathan, Judy and Chris my good friends. It is truly impossible to fathom how they can all be gone over such a short period. It is tragic beyond words.”

Fifteen of the 22 passengers and crew on board, including Mr Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued by emergency crews after the yacht suffered catastrophic damage following a waterspout.

A spokesman for the Lynch family said they were “devastated, in shock and being comforted and supported by family and friends. Their thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy”.

The spokesman added: “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.”