Status: 03/12/2022 8:30 p.m
The Italian financial police have seized a super yacht in the port of Trieste. It is said to belong to Russian billionaire Melnichenko, who has made a fortune in fertilizers and coal-fired energy.
The “Sailing Yacht A” is 143 meters long, making it the largest sailing yacht in the world. But it could be a while before it expires again.
Officials from the Italian financial police arrested the ship, which is estimated to be worth around 530 million euros, in the port of Trieste.
The reason: the authorities assume that the yacht belongs to the Russian oligarch Andrei Igorevich Melnichenko. The billionaire, who lives in St. Moritz, Switzerland, made his fortune in coal and fertilizer and has been on the European Union’s sanctions list for a few days. Shortly after the confiscation, Melnichenkos announced through a spokesman that he wanted to take legal action against the seizure.
Another yacht confiscated in Tuscany
Another mega yacht was also confiscated in Marina di Carrara in Tuscany: The “Scheherazade”, with an estimated value of 700 million euros, two helipads, a gym and an indoor pool could belong to Russian President Vladimir Putin – reports the “New York Times” . According to the US newspaper, US secret services and Italian authorities checked the relevant information. In the coming days, the financial police will decide whether the ship will continue to be seized or will be released.