Head of Bloomsbury killed after boat collided with wedding celebration

American publishing executive is killed in tragedy on the Amalfi coast: Head of Bloomsbury’s speedboat collided with wedding celebration in crash that also left her husband and children injured

• Adrienne Vaughan, 45, was tragically killed after being thrown into the water 
• Her husband Mike was seriously injured in crash and was rushed to hospital  

The president of publishing house Bloomsbury USA has tragically died in a boating accident on the Amalfi coast which also saw her husband and two young children injured.

Adrienne Vaughan, 45, was with her husband Mike White, daughter Leanna, 14, and son Mason, 11, when their speedboat collided with a sailing ship upon which 85 people were celebrating a wedding.

Ms Vaughan had been dreaming of a trip to Italy for some time and was with her family on a tour of Europe, according to local media.

The family had chartered a motorboat in Nerano and yesterday were travelling towards Positano. At around 6.30pm in Fiordo di Furore they crashed into a 40-metre long Tortuga ship with American and German tourists on board. 

Ms Vaughan was thrown into the water and was fatally struck by the boat’s propellers. 

Adrienne Vaughan (left), 45, was with her husband Mike White (second right), daughter Leanna (right), 14, and son Mason (second left), 11, when their speedboat collided with a ship

The family had been travelling in Europe and were visiting the Amalfi coast when the accident happened. Pictured are the family in Rome just days ago

Two ambulances and a helicopter were rushed to the scene but despite desperate attempts to revive her, she was declared dead.

Her husband was also thrown off the boat and suffered serious limb injuries. He was rushed to hospital in Castiglione di Ravello.  

The children were unharmed in the accident but suffered from shock. The skipper of the boat was also injured and taken to hospital. 

An investigation into the incident has now been launched by the Amalfi Port Authority. It is currently unclear how the two boats collided. 

Ms Vaughan had been named the US president of the Bloomsbury publishing house in 2021. She was involved in major projects such as the famous Harry Potter series. 

From 2015 to 2018 she had worked for the Disney publishing group.

She was described as ‘charismatic true leader’: “She was my coach and my mentor. I loved working with her every day. It was always ready to help others,’ a former colleague wrote on LinkedIn. 

Just days ago the family had visited Rome and shared pictures of them in front of the Trevi Fountain and Colosseum.

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