The captain of a boat that crashed into a wedding yacht off the Italian coast, killing the president of Bloomsbury USA when she was launched into the propellers, was distracted by a cell phone, the victim’s aggrieved husband claimed.
Adrienne Vaughan, 45, was killed Thursday after the small rented speedboat she was riding on with her husband, Mike White, and their two children crashed into the side of a stationary 40-foot chartered vessel carrying 80 wedding guests.
Vaughan was launched into the ship’s propellers, while White escaped with a dislocated shoulder and lacerations.
Captain Elio Persico, 30, from Massa Lubrense near Sorrento, was taken to hospital with pelvic and rib fractures, according to Italian media.
The distraught husband of the Bloomsbury USA director told rescuers that Persico had used his cell phone on the boat just before hitting the yacht, according to Il Messaggero. Persico was also “drunk” at the time, according to toxicology tests that showed the presence of alcohol and cocaine.
Skipper Elio Persico, 30, from Massa Lubrense near Sorrento, was reportedly drunk and using his cell phone before the boat carrying the New York family crashed, killing Vaughan
The family was on their way to the picturesque town of Positano on the Amalfi Coast when the tragic accident happened
New York-born Vaughan reportedly “dreamed” of her family vacation to Italy
He faces possible charges of shipwreck, manslaughter and negligent injury.
Prosecutor Marinella Guglielmotti questioned Persico while he was in hospital and demanded that his phone records be handed over, the newspaper said.
Persico tested positive for alcohol and cocaine, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.
The horror crash is captured in shocking footage captured aboard the Tortuga ship.
The bride and groom were seen dancing with their guests, surrounded by a picturesque landscape, just before the music stopped as the speedboat crashed into the side of their ship.
Startled guests gasped and rushed to the edge to offer the family inflatables.
New York native Vaughan had reportedly “dreamed” of her family vacation to Italy, and her husband shared a Facebook post that showed the foursome bronzed and radiant next to the Trevi Fountain and Coliseum just a day before the crash.
They were on their way to Positano on the 29-foot motorboat when their vessel collided with the Tortuga vessel in Fiordo di Furore at around 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Giuseppe Borrelli, Salerno’s chief prosecutor, said Vaughan was sunbathing on the bow of the boat when it crashed, and that she was “bouncing” into the water at the moment of impact.
Two doctors who were among the passengers on the wedding sailboat dove into the sea to help Vaughan, while a nearby ship took her to shore, Italian state radio said, citing the sailboat’s captain.
But Borrelli said Vaughan died before a medical helicopter and local ambulance could take her to hospital.
The publisher, 45, was described as a ‘charismatic true leader’
He declined to give details of her injuries and said the results of an autopsy are still pending.
It has not yet been determined what caused the speedboat to collide with their stationary yacht.
Vaughn’s children – 14-year-old Leanna and 11-year-old Mason – were treated for shock, while the American and German tourists aboard the ship were also unharmed. The couple’s two young children are now cared for by one of their grandfathers who has traveled to Italy to help out while their father recovers.
Vaughan graduated with an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business before embarking on her distinguished publishing career.
She went to work for the Oxford University Press and from 2015 to 2018 she worked for the Disney publishing house.
A witness said the speedboat’s skipper looked “drunk” after it crashed into the yacht
Vaughan joined Bloomsbury in 2020 as an executive director and COO, before being named the company’s US president the following year.
When she was promoted to the prestigious position, Bloomsbury praised her for her “strong leadership in a challenging time.”
According to Publishers weeklyher tenure as president focused on the company’s “next chapter,” including expansion across America “with a strong future and significant publishing impact.”
She was described on LinkedIn as a “charismatic true leader” by a former colleague who added, “She was my coach and my mentor. I loved working with her every day. It was always ready to help others.’