A SUPERYACHT dumped in a harbour is set to be sold to the highest bidder unless its owner shows up.
The Alfa Nero is currently sitting in the Caribbean and the US authorities have linked it to a “close associate” of the Russian tyrant, who bought the vessel for £100 million.
Oligarch Andrey Guryev, 62, made his £8bn fortune from a Russian fertiliser company but was hit by sanctions by the US, Britain and the EU from last year. In the wake of the Russia’s attack on Ukraine, a number of Russian oligarchs have felt the sanctions placed upon them by various countries, including seizures of their superyachts.
That led to a growing number of oligarchs to move their yachts into no extradition waters. The Alfa Nero was abandoned in Falmouth Harbour, Antigua, in February 2022, soon after the invasion.
The government of Antigua and Barbuda has given any potential owner 10 days to claim the vessel. “If the owner fails to claim the vessel within that time period, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda will sell it to the highest bidder,” said the office of the Prime Minister. Guryev has denied being the owner and in common with many superyachts, it is owned through a complex offshore structure.
The vessel was built on 2007 and won several awards for its design, which includes a staircase that wraps around a glass lift shaft. The floating mansion features a 40ft infinity pool that doubles up as a helipad, a jacuzzi, a spa, a gym and beauty room. There’s a ‘beach club’ which allows guests to jump in and out of the sea and a luxurious interior.
The vessel has been used by Guryev’s family, including his son, who’s also called Andrey, and his son’s wife, Valeria, who studied at the London College of Fashion. But it’s set to be declared a hazard because it’s not been maintained properly.
Local businesses have been warned not to deal with anyone named on the list of sanctioned individuals. Officials on Antigua say the sale is being conducted “to prevent a future hazard since the luxury vessel is not being maintained by its owner”.
Last year superyacht worth £65 million went under the hammer after its oligarch owner was sanctioned. The Axioma became the first luxury Russian vessel to be sold off since a fleet of oligarchs were sanctioned following the invasion of Ukraine.
The yacht was seized in March after US bank JP Morgan said its owner, Russian steel magnate Dmitrievich Pumpyansky, owed them more than £17 million. Although it is valued at over £60 million, the superyacht is expected to go for less than its estimated value as it will only go on sale for one day.
Stretching over 230 feet, the yacht can sleep 12 people in six cabins, alongside space for 20 extra crewmembers. The Axioma also boasts luxury amenities including a swimming pool, jacuzzi, spa, and on-board gym.
The vessel is one of a number of luxury superyachts to have been seized following the wave of sanctions due to the bloody invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s richest man, Alexei Mordashov, had his £45 million yacht detained in an Italian port in March, while another oligarch’s vessel was seized later that same month in Canary Wharf.
Video: OCEANCO YACHT ALFA NERO 82m
Source: thesun.co.uk
