British investigators arrived in Italy on Tuesday to look into what happened during the extreme weather conditions that struck the yacht.
The Bayesian capsized early Monday morning about 700 metres (2,300 feet) off Porticello, east of the Sicilian capital Palermo.
Fifteen of the 22 passengers survived, including a British mother who said she held her baby daughter in her arms above the water to save her from drowning.
So far, only one body, that of Recardo Thomas, has been found.
Mr Williams said the two grew up together as children and he has known the chef for 30 years, as Thomas lived in Antigua during the non-racing season.
“He told me recently that he had to work for two more seasons to renovate his parents' house. He loved sailing but was tired,” Mr Williams told the BBC's Insaf Abbas.
Another friend, Ellie Fuller, said she first met the chef 25 years ago and that he was a role model for young people.
“In his profession, personality was very important. The wealthiest people in the world want to be around people who are sociable. He was popular with a lot of people,” Mr. Fuller said.
“The kids would see all the white people working on the yachts. It was important to our community to see Antigua people traveling around the world,” he added.
