Italian authorities announced this week that they were investigating four people in the tragic death of American Adrienne Vaughn, 45, who was killed when the boat she was riding in collided with a 150-foot sailing yacht off the Amalfi Coast. The accident occurred in August 2023.
Ms Vaughn, who was vacationing in Italy with her husband and two children, was an executive and publisher with the Bloomsbury USA which publishes the Harry Potter series of books. In the accident, her husband was badly injured while their son and daughter escaped unharmed.
The boat was owned and driven by the four people under investigation and the police reported that the driver was under the influence of both cocaine and alcohol when he drove the 30-foot speedboat into the side of the sailing yacht. Ms. Vaughn was thrown overboard in the collision and then run over by the boat’s propeller. She was rushed ashore but died before an air ambulance arrived.
The four people under investigation are the owners and operators of the boat hire company Daily Luxury Boat. They are accused of manslaughter, reckless operation of a charter vessel and obstructing justice.
A barman aboard the sailing yacht reported to police that his vessel was holding a steady course while the speed boat was changing course erratically. The speedboat then turned 180 degrees and rammed the sailboat.
