An intense storm caused the Bayesian to capsize, plunging it to the bottom of the Mediterranean within minutes.
Of the 22 people on board, seven died, including Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah.
Years of courtroom scuffles ensued.
And yet, Mike Lynch managed to take on the US Justice Department and won against all odds.
A botched merger
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Autonomy specialised in business data analytics.
Thetechwas based on astatistical method called Bayesian inference, devised by the 18th-century mathematician Thomas Bayes.
Lynch was such a devote follower of this school of thought, he later named his family superyachtBayesian.
HPs acquisition of Autonomy in 2011 was one of the UKs largest-ever tech deals.
But just a year after the merger, HP wrote down $8.8bn of Autonomys value.
The Silicon Valley giant claimed it had been deceived.
It was a claim that would haunt Lynch for the next decade.
Lynch and Stephen Chamberlain, Autonomys head of finance whodied in a car accident on Saturday denied any wrongdoing.
The partners accused HP of mismanaging the acquisition and using them as a scapegoat.
But the damage was done.
Soon, Lynch was facing legal battles on both sides of the Atlantic.
The legal maelstrom
Lynchs defense was unfaltering.
He argued that HPs accusations were simply a case of buyers remorse.
In 2015, The UKs Serious Fraud Officeclosed its caseagainst Lynch, citing insufficient evidence.
He argued that Autonomys financials were sound and that HPs leadership failed to understand the complexity of the business.
A critical factor in Lynchs success was his decision to fight the extradition to the US.
Lynch used every legal tool available to delay the process.
This strategy bought Lynch crucial time, allowing his legal team to build a robust defense.
One of Lynchs strongest defenses lay in the evidence or rather, the lack thereof.
Lynchs legal team focused on dismantling the DOJs claims by casting doubt on thequality of the evidence presented.
Throughout the legal proceedings, Lynchs public relations team worked tirelessly to shape the narrative in the media.
Lynchs public stance was clear: he was being unfairly targeted by an American legal system seeking a scapegoat.
My deepest thanks go to my legal team for their tireless work on my behalf.
Sadly, his luck was short-lived.
Story bySion Geschwindt
Sion is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy.
