Searchers resumed the search on Tuesday for six people, including British technology tycoon Mike Lynch, believed to be trapped around 50 meters (164 feet) underwater in the structure of a luxury yacht that sank in a storm off Sicily. Divers returned in wetsuits and oxygen tanks to the site off Porticello, near Palermo, working as a team in 12-minute underwater search shifts where the luxury sailing boat sank.

Fire rescue crews reported that divers only reached the bridge during the initial search and were unable to access the cabins below deck because they were blocked by furniture that shifted during the severe storm that toppled the ship early on Monday.

Fifteen people survived, including a mother who reported that she carried her one-year-old child above the waves to save him. Officials said one body has been recovered, identified as the chef on board the yacht.

The "Baysian," a 56-meter luxury yacht flying the British flag, was anchored about half a mile from Porticello when a storm hit at around 4 a.m. on Monday. Civil protection officials said they believe the ship was struck by a waterspout, which swept through the area.

The rescue team stated on Tuesday that the search for the six missing passengers was slow because the "Baysian" is resting at a depth of 50 meters, where divers can only stay for 12 minutes.

Specialized dive teams worked on Tuesday to open other access points to get inside the wreck. Rescue teams said they assumed the six passengers were in the cabins below deck, given the timing of the ship's sinking, but they were unable to verify their presence through the windows.

The statement referred to the six as "missing." Rescue officials said the six would be considered missing until found among the wreckage.

Carsten Borner, the captain of the sailing ship, told reporters at the scene that fifteen of the 22 passengers and crew on the Baysian managed to escape on a lifeboat before being rescued by a nearby sailing vessel that was also anchored off the coast to ride out the storm.

Among the missing is Lynch, who was once hailed as the king of technology in Britain. He was acquitted in June of fraud and conspiracy charges in a U.S. federal trial related to Hewlett Packard's acquisition of his company, Autonomy Corp, for $11 billion. His wife, Angela Backaris, survived.

The sailing holiday appeared to be a celebration following Lynch's acquittal, with other passengers including some who stood by Lynch throughout his ordeal. Among the missing, according to civil protection agency, is Lynch's lawyer in the United States, Christopher Morfillo of Clifford Chance, and Morfillo's wife.

Also missing is Jonathan Blumer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International and former chair of the audit committee at Autonomy who testified in Lynch's trial for the defense, along with his wife. Lynch appointed Blumer to Autonomy's board in 2010, where he served as chair of the audit committee at the time of the Hewlett Packard deal.

The CEO of Hiscox Group, Aki Hussain, said in a statement that Hiscox Group, the international insurance company where Blumer was chairman, "is shocked and deeply saddened by this tragic event. Our thoughts are with all those affected, particularly our chairman Jonathan Blumer and his wife Judy, who were among the missing, and with their families as they await further news about this dire situation."

Among the survivors is Charlotte Golonski, who said she lost control of her one-year-old daughter Sophia in the water, but was able to lift her above the waves until a lifeboat inflated and they were pulled to safety, according to the Italian news agency Ansa. The father, identified by Ansa as James Emsley, also survived.

The yacht, built in 2008 by Italian company Perini Navi, had 12 passengers and 10 crew members. According to online rental companies, it was available for rent at 195,000 euros (around 215,000 USD) per week and featured a massive 75-meter aluminum mast, one of the tallest masts in the world.