NYC Publishing Executive Dead In Boat Crash In Italy

NEW YORK — A New-York based publishing executive died in a boat collision in Italy on Thursday, her company Bloomsbury Publishing said in a statement Sunday.

Adrienne Vaughan, President of Bloomsbury USA, was killed while out with her family on a motorboat that crashed into a sailboat, The Associated Press reported, citing Italian media.

The motorboat was carrying more than 80 American and German tourists and was rented through a skipper. It was on its way to Positano when the crash occurred.

Vaughan, 45, was pulled from the water and brought to a dock but died by the time a helicopter arrived, officials said.

A blood test for the skipper of the motorboat tested positive for substance use, according to Italian news agency ANSA, which didn't indicate whether the result indicated alcohol or drug consumption. The skipper, an Italian about 30 years old, suffered a broken pelvis and ribs, ANSA said.

"Our hearts go out to Adrienne’s husband and children, parents, family and friends," Nigel Newton, Chief Executive of Bloomsbury, said in the statement. "Bloomsbury is doing everything possible to provide the support they need on the ground in Naples and in the US."

Newton wrote that Vaughan was appointed president of Bloomsbury USA three years ago and was a "natural business leader with a great future ahead of her."

"She was deeply loved by colleagues due to her combination of great personal warmth with a fierce determination to make the business succeed and grow," he said. "Her business instincts were outstanding and she loved authors, readers and her colleagues equally."

According to her LinkedIn profile, Vaughan previously held positions at Scholastic, Disney Publishing Worldwide, Little Pim, Oxford University Press, Disney Book Group, and Trustbridge Global Media.

Bloomsbury USA is headquartered at 1385 Broadway in New York City.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.