Superyachts linked to Russian oligarchs mysteriously disappear from the radar | Abroad

Since the war in Ukraine, oligarchs who are good friends with the Kremlin have been hunted down game. Because many countries threaten to confiscate their properties. Including their luxurious superyachts that can’t be big enough.

From France to the Fiji Islands, at least thirteen sailing palaces have already been detained, Nieuwsblad writes. As a sanction against the war in Ukraine and because the owners have links to Putin.

But now they seem to have found something on that. The position of ships can be tracked via satellite via the automatic identification system (AIS). Not to check on them every moment of the day, but rather for their own safety. If a ship suddenly disappears from the radar, this may indicate an accident and help is sent.

An investigation by the British Sunday newspaper The Observer and The Guardian, with the collaboration of analysts from Vasselsvalue, has now revealed that Russian oligarchs are deliberately sabotaging the AIS system. This way they can no longer be tracked and no one knows in which waters they are. Even if it is prohibited by law.

The British investigation shows that at least six luxury yachts have already ‘disappeared’.

Black Sea

Take the 73 meter long ‘Clio’ by Oleg Derepaska (Rusal aluminum). After the invasion, the ship set course from the Maldives through the Suez Canal to Turkey, and on April 18 delivered the coordinators from somewhere in the Black Sea for the last time. Afterwards it seemed to have disappeared from the radar.

Or the ‘Galactica Super Nova’ by Vagit Alekperov from LukOil. According to official data now available, it may have sunk off the coast of Croatia. Because it cannot be seen on the radar and the latest data was recorded in that area.

The same goes for the 140-metre-long ‘Ocean Victory’ by Viktor Rashnikov, Russia’s largest steel manufacturer.

Fertilizer billionaire Andrey Gurev’s ‘Alfa Nero’ disappeared near the Caribbean. As if it had fallen into a storm and perished with man and mouse.

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