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Italy seizes Russian billionaire Melnichenko's Sailing Yacht A

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Italian authorities seize one of world’s largest superyachts from oligarch

Sailing Yacht A, owned by Russian businessman Andrey Melnichenko, seized in Trieste on Friday evening

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Italian authorities have seized a €530m (£444m) superyacht owned by Russian businessman Andrey Melnichenko as part of EU sanctions following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine .

Sy A – short for Sailing Yacht A – was seized on Friday evening in the port of Trieste after being identified by Italian police as belonging to the billionaire owner of EuroChem Group, a major fertiliser producer, and the coal company SUEK.

Video footage reportedly showed police cars with flashing lights approaching the yacht, said to be one of the largest in the world, and boarding it.

EuroChem and SUEK said in statements on Thursday that Melnichenko had resigned as a member of the board in both companies and withdrawn as their beneficiary, effective on Wednesday.

It comes as Roman Abramovich’s superyacht Solaris was pictured arriving in Tivat, Montenegro, on Saturday. The vessel left a port in Barcelona earlier this week as the UK government imposed sanctions on the Russian billionaire owner of Chelsea Football Club.

On Thursday, it was tracked off the coast of Sicily after reportedly undergoing repairs earlier in the week in Barcelona, one of a number of apparently hurried sailings of Russian billionaires moving their superyachts to avoid seizure. His other yacht, the more luxurious Eclipse, was on Thursday located to the west of the Canary Islands.

A European Council decision authorising the sanctions against Melnichenko says he was one of 37 business leaders who met with the Russian president after the invasion of Ukraine to talk about the potential economic impact of EU and US sanctions.

Melnichenko, the document states, “belongs to the most influential circle of Russian businesspeople with close connections to the Russian government”.

It adds: “He is therefore involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the government of the Russian Federation, which is responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the destabilisation of Ukraine.”

A spokesperson for Melnichenko, Alex Andreev, said the businessman had “no relation to the tragic events in Ukraine. He has no political affiliations”.

“There is no justification whatsoever for placing him on the EU sanctions list,” Andreev said. “We will be disputing these baseless and unjustified sanctions, and believe that the rule of law and common sense will prevail.”

Italian authorities have separately seized €143m worth of luxury yachts and villas owned by Russian billionaires in luxury destinations including Lake Como, Sardinia and the Ligurian coast.

Nobiskrug, the manufacturer of Sailing Yacht A, describes the three-mast vessel on its website as “one of the world’s largest and most advanced superyachts” and the “ultimate embodiment of German superyachts built for the 22nd century”. It is almost 143 metres long, the mainmast is 100 metres above the waterline, and the yacht has a gross tonnage of about 12,600.

Other yachts seized by Italian police include Lady M, owned by Alexei Mordashov who, before being blacklisted this week by the EU, was the richest man in Russia. A yacht owned by Gennady Timchenko, another billionaire with close ties to Putin, was also seized.

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World’s largest sailing yacht, Sailing Yacht A, seized

• Helen Fretter
• March 12, 2022

The world's largest sailing yacht, Sailing Yacht A, has been seized by Italian authorities after its Russian owner was placed on a sanctions list

Italian authorities have seized the largest sail-assisted superyacht ever built, the 143m (470ft) Sailing Yacht A, Italian news outlets are reporting.

According to the Reuters news agency in Rome, the Italian prime minister’s office confirmed this morning (Saturday, March 12) that the yacht had been seized after owner, Russian billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko, was placed on an EU sanctions list following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Philippe Starck-designed  Sailing Yacht A is one of the most of the distinctive yachts ever built . At 143m (470ft) long it features eight decks, and a 20m freeboard.

Sailing Yacht A has a beam of 24.8m and a 20m freeboard

It was built by Nobiskrug in Germany and launched in 2016. It carries three of the world’s largest carbon rigs, which are unstayed and rotating, with over 3,700 square metres of sails set via an in-boom furling system. It also features a gimballed crow’s nest, accessible by lift, 60m high in one of the curved masts, an observation pod embedded in the keel and a three-man submarine.

The hull has a maximum beam of 24.8m and includes 24 shell doors concealed within it.

It was built under strict non-disclosure agreements, but has been reported to have a price tag of around €530 million ($578 million).

The yacht is reported to have been sequestered at the northern port of Trieste, following sanctions imposed on its owner. Melnichenko owns the fertiliser producer EuroChem Group and coal company SUEK.

Several high profile superyachts belonging to Russian oligarchs have been seized across Europe in the past week, although this is the first sailing vessel of its kind to be impounded.

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Italian Police Seize Russian Oligarch Andrey Melnichenko’s 468-Foot ‘Sailing Yacht A’

The list keeps growing with the impoundment of "sailing yacht a" and suspicion that "scheherazade" might be connected to vladimir putin., michael verdon, michael verdon's most recent stories.

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Italy’s finance police seized one of the world’s most iconic sailing yachts, owned by a Russian oligarch. Andrey Melnichenko’s Sailing Yacht A , with an estimated value of $578 million, was impounded in dry dock at the Port of Trieste, according to a statement from the Guardia di Finanzia. Melninchenko was sanctioned by the European Union on March 9 as part of a group of Russian oligarchs who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin following its Ukraine invasion to discuss the potential economic impact of EU and American sanctions.

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Melnichenko owns the major fertilizer producer EuroChem Group and SUEK, a coal company. He also owns the 390-foot Motor Yacht A. A spokesperson said in a statement that Melnichenko has nothing to do with politics and that he has removed himself from the board of Eurochem and SUEK after the EU sanctioned him. “He has no relation to the tragic events in Ukraine. He has no political affiliations,” said the statement.

US intelligence officials have also said they are trying to link the Scheherazade , a $700 million superyacht in dry dock in Italy, to Putin. The New York Times reported that the US government has made no definite conclusions about the yacht’s ownership, but believe it could be owned by the Russian president. The yacht’s captain, Guy Bennett-Pearce, told the Times that Putin had no stake in the yacht, but declined to name the owner. Bennett-Pearce said he would provide Italian police with documents that divulged the owner’s name. The Italian Sea Group, which owns the shipyard where Scheherazade is dry docked, said that, based on “checks carried out by relevant authorities,” the yacht is “not attributable to the property of Russian President Vladimir Putin.”

Roman Abramovich, who owns Solaris. last week was placed on the UK sanctions list.  Courtesy of Lloyd Werft

Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich was also added to the UK sanctions list days after he announced the sale of the football club. Abramovich, who owns a string of supercars and several private jets, also owns the superyachts Solaris and Eclipse. Solaris is reportedly sailing towards Israel, where Abramovich has dual citizenship.

On March 3, France’s finance ministry said that it had impounded Amore Vero , a yacht owned by Igor Sechin, CEO of Russian oil giant Rosneft. The EU had sanctioned Sechin earlier that week, calling him one of Putin’s “most trusted and closest advisors, as well as his personal friend.” German authorities also detained the 512-foot superyacht Dilbar in Hamburg, owned by Alisher Usmanov. Reports said the crew was fired last week. On March 5, Italian authorities impounded two yachts, Lena and Lady M , owned by Gennady Timchenko and Alexei Mordashov, respectively.

On Friday, the US State Department placed Viktor Vekselberg on its sanctions list. Two of Vekeselberg’s luxury assets, an Airbus A319-115 jet and his yacht Tango , were identified as “blocked property.”

The superyacht Scheherazade was impounded in Italy during an investigation to uncover whether it is owned by Russian President Vladimir Putin.  Video Still/YT

The seizures have prompted the superyacht industry to distance itself from the oligarchs. Italian yacht builders Sanlorenzo and Azimut both released statements that they have limited exposure to Russian clients, and none are on the sanctions list. Heesen Yachts released a statement that two Russians sitting on its supervisory board of directors have resigned their positions. The builder said Heesen is 100-percent Dutch-owned company and that Pavel Sukhoruchkin and Pavel Novoselov had nothing to do with its day-to-day operations.

Ownership of many Russian yachts is often hidden by shell companies in tax havens like the Cayman Islands. They are not only hard to trace, but actually seizing and selling them could present a legal quagmire that could take years to resolve.

Some are wondering whether seizing the oligarchs’ private yachts and jets will work. “Sanctions are another example of the West doing what it does best, which is just throwing a lot of cash at the problem and hoping it gets solved,” Olga Chyzh, a professor of political science at the University of Toronto, told the Washington Post. “However sad they are to let go of their Western assets, oligarchs have even more to lose if Putin is no longer there to protect them.”

Eclipse is another yacht owned by Roman Abramovich.  Robb Report File

In the meantime, some oligarchs are taking their yachts to destinations like the Maldives , the Seychelles and Dubai, which have no extradition treaties with the US and EU. Dubai has become a favorite destination for Russian tourism and wealth.

Alex Finley, a former CIA officer, has been tracking the yachts from Barcelona. Using the hashtag “Yacht Watch,” she posts updates on Twitter for Russian-owned superyachts.

“For me, the yachts are a big, easily recognizable symbol of the more serious side of this [Russian invasion]: These are people who support a dictator, and have been supporting him in carrying out destabilization operations against democracy, while at the same time coming here and taking all the benefits of the exact same democracies they were destabilizing,” Finley told the Washington Post.

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Watch Police Seize $578 Million Superyacht Linked To Russian Billionaire

MILAN — Italian financial police has seized a Russian-owned superyacht valued at $578 million in the port of Trieste as part of seizures of oligarch wealth to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the war on Ukraine.

The “Sy A” yacht was identified by Italian police as belonging to billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko, who made a fortune in fertilizer production and coal energy. It was seized Friday evening.

Italy’s financial police ( @GDF ) has just frozen “SY A” - a sailing yacht worth ~€530m located in the Port of Trieste. The yacht could be linked indirectly to Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko - an individual in the EU sanctions list. pic.twitter.com/fRg6ZTIQRH — Ferdinando Giugliano (@FerdiGiugliano) March 12, 2022

Video shows police in cars with flashing lights approaching the triple-mast yacht and officers boarding it.

Italian authorities last week seized some 143 million euros ($156 million) in luxury yachts and villas belonging to Russian billionaires in such picturesque retreats as Sardinia, the Ligurian coast and Lake Como.

Sanzioni contro la Russia: A Trieste, nel rimessaggio del porto, è stato sequestrato dalla Guardia di Finanza lo yacht a vela più grande del mondo, del valore di 530 milioni di euro. Lo "SY A" è riconducibile all'imprenditore russo Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko. pic.twitter.com/xj0V728Qsa — Tg La7 (@TgLa7) March 11, 2022

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Ukraine war: Italian police seize Russian oligarch's £440m superyacht

The 143-metre Sailing Yacht A was seized a few days after businessman Andrey Melnichenko was placed on an EU sanctions list following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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Italy seizes Russian billionaire Melnichenko's Sailing Yacht A

The vessel is the world's biggest sailing yacht.

FOX Business Flash top headlines for March 11

Here are your FOX Business Flash top headlines for March 11.

Italian police have seized a superyacht owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko, the prime minister's office said on Saturday, a few days after the businessman was placed on an EU sanctions list following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The 143-metre (470-foot) Sailing Yacht A, which has a price tag of 530 million euros ($578 million), has been sequestered at the northern port of Trieste, the government said.

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Designed by Philippe Starck and built by Nobiskrug in Germany, the vessel is the world's biggest sailing yacht, the government said.

Melnichenko owned major fertiliser producer EuroChem Group and coal company SUEK. The companies said in statements on Thursday that he had resigned as a member of the board in both companies and withdrawn as their beneficiary, effective Wednesday.

The luxury yacht " Sailing Yacht A " with her unique form, which was built for Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, sails past Italian Isola del Giglio island on July 10, 2018, near the "Scole" rocks where the Costa Concordia cruise ship crashed l ((Photo by VINCENZO PINTO/AFP via Getty Images) / Getty Images)

A spokesperson for Melnichenko, Alex Andreev, said the businessman had "no relation to the tragic events in Ukraine. He has no political affiliations".

RUSSIAN OLIGARCH YACHTS, LUXURY COASTAL PROPERTIES SEIZED BY ITALY: PHOTOS

"There is no justification whatsoever for placing him on the EU sanctions list," Andreev said. "We will be disputing these baseless and unjustified sanctions, and believe that the rule of law and common sense will prevail.

Since last week Italian police have seized villas and yachts worth more than 700 million euros ($763.63 million) from high-profile Russians who have been placed on the EU sanctions list, Economy Minister Daniele Franco said on Saturday.

This photograph taken on March 10, 2022, shows a sailing yacht A owned by Russian oligarch Andrey Melnichenko in Trieste, Italy. - The sailing yacht A is the largest private sail-assisted motor yacht in the world. (Photo by Jure Makovec / AFP) (Photo ( (Photo by JURE MAKOVEC/AFP via Getty Images) / Getty Images)

"So far we have hit what was visible, now we have to hit the rest such as shareholdings. We are doing a great job to bring out what is shielded by trusts and front names," Giuseppe Zafarana, head of the Italian tax police, told journalists in Bergamo on Saturday.

The police operations were part of a coordinated drive by Western states to penalise wealthy Russians they say are linked to President Vladimir Putin.

RUSSIAN OLIGARCH ALISHER USMANOV’S $600M YACHT SEIZED IN GERMANY: REPORTS

Separately, a superyacht reported to be owned by Russian businessman Roman Abramovich arrived in Montenegro's territorial waters on Saturday morning, according to a Reuters photographer.

A Finance Police officer boards the superyacht from Russian billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko which has been sequestered at the northern port of Trieste, Italy, March 12, 2022, in this screen grab taken from video, Finance Police/Handout via R (Finance Police/Handout via REUTERS / Reuters Photos)

The Solaris is one of a string of yachts owned by Chelsea Football Club owner Abramovich, according to reports in luxury goods publications SuperYachtFan, SuperYacht Times and Forbes.

The 140-metre (460-foot) vessel is moored off the luxury resort Porto Montenegro in the town of Tivat. The boat left Barcelona on Tuesday.

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Britain imposed sanctions on Abramovich on Thursday, freezing his assets and citing what it called his close relationship with Putin. Abramovich has denied having such ties.

($1 = 0.9167 euros)

(Reporting by Emilio Parodi in Bergamo and Stevo Vasiljevic in TivatWriting by Giselda VagnoniEditing by Frances Kerry)

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EU authorities continue to hunt down the superyachts owned by Russian oligarchs, and this time, it’s the turn of Sailing Yacht A to become a frozen asset.

It happened on Friday in Italy, with the local police confirming the superyacht belonging to billionaire Andrey Melnichenko is now in storage in Trieste.

The decision to freeze the vessel at the northern port of Trieste comes after the European Union decided earlier this month to sanction Melnichenko for his connections with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

European authorities have announced a series of sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine, and seizing the assets of Russian oligarchs is seen as a measure that could help increase the pressure on the Russian President and cut the money supply which could be used to fund the war.

Melnichenko has recently been added to the list of Russian oligarchs targeted by the sanctions, as it’s believed he’s part of the closest circle of Vladimir Putin. The EU council claims Melnichenko personally met with Putin to discuss the impact of the sanctions announced by both the European Union and the United States.

As of March 2022, Andrey Melnichenko, 50, is considered the 7th richest person in Russia, with a net worth estimated at $15.8 billion. He’s the founder of fertilizer producer EuroChem Group and coal energy company SUEK.

Sailing Yacht A is an impressive vessel, with manufacturer Nobiskrug calling it “ one of the world’s largest and most advanced superyachts. ” It measures 143 meters (469 feet) and has a gross weight of 12,558 gt, sporting 8 decks, a hybrid propulsion system, and even a touch-and-go helipad.

The superyacht can reach a top speed of 21 knots, with the range estimated to be just shy of 5,400 nmi (that’s about 10,000 km).

This isn’t Italy’s first impressive catch. Just earlier this month, Italian police managed to seize $153 million worth of assets belonging to Russian billionaires, including two iconic superyachts, the Lena and Lady M. 

• Sailing Yacht A

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Russian Billionaire’s $793 Million Superyacht Seized By Italian Government

Andrey Melnichenko has become the latest victim of the new EU sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine after the seizure of his €530 million (AU$793 million) Sailing Yacht A off the Italian coast.

At approximately 143 metres, Sailing Yacht A is the world’s largest motor yacht; designed by Frenchman Phillippe Starck with a radical exterior that almost resembles a military ship or submarine (as opposed to your more “basic” megayacht).

RELATED : The US Government Is Offering You $5 Million To Snitch On Russian Oligarchs

The $793 million nautical toy is currently being stored in the city of Trieste after Italian authorities seized Melnichenko’s vessel in the Adriatic sea. Melnichenko, 50, is a successful Russian businessman who made his US$12 billion (AU$16.2 billion) fortune as a major shareholder in the fertiliser company, Eurochem. He also owns and runs SUEK, Russia’s largest coal supplier.

Italy’s financial police ( @GDF ) has just frozen “SY A” – a sailing yacht worth ~€530m located in the Port of Trieste. The yacht could be linked indirectly to Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko – an individual in the EU sanctions list. pic.twitter.com/fRg6ZTIQRH — Ferdinando Giugliano (@FerdiGiugliano) March 12, 2022

The Russian Oligarch isn’t the first to feel the wrath of the EU’s powers, either. Several other influential business and political figures have now been in the crosshairs. Major Uralkali shareholder Dmitry Mazepin and former Haas F1 driver Nikita Mazepin have also been sanctioned by the British government. The family have been refused entry into the UK with the government freezing their UK-based assets.

Check out the video below for a detailed look at exactly what the Italians managed to get their hands on – the $793 million Sailing Yacht A .

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Photos show the luxury mega yachts that belong to Russian oligarchs — some of whom have hidden their ships as the UK ramps up sanctions.

• Sanctions targeting Russian oligarchs threaten their luxury assets — including their mega yachts.
• Many countries have implemented sanctions targeting Putin and Russian oligarchs following Russia's attack on Ukraine.
• Insider compiled a photo list of some of the luxury vessels.

Russian billionaires' assets — including their megayachts — are in danger of being seized as countries continue to impose sanctions on Russian oligarchs in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden announced that the US will make a substantial effort to seize Russian oligarchs' assets.

"We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets," Biden said in his State of The Union address on March 1. "We are coming for your ill-begotten gains."

Since the US is not in "armed conflict" with Russia it may be legally tricky to seize assets like yachts, Insider reported . 

"The threshold for seizing assets under sanctions is that the US has to be in armed conflict with the owner of the assets," Brian O'Toole, an economic sanctions expert, tweeted last Friday. "The idea of turning Russian corruption into Ukrainian assistance is lovely but this idea is illegal, period."

It can also be difficult to find out who the owners of these yachts are.

Offshore companies typically own the luxury vessels, but enough "public speculation" pointing to a Russian oligarch as an owner is likely "sufficient for a seizure," Insider reported . 

Many of the oligarchs moved their yachts to places where they can't be seized, such as the Maldives, which does not have an extradition treaty with the US.

Insider has compiled a list of photos with mega yachts linked to Russian oligarchs.

Galactica Super Nova

Amid sanctions and seizures targeting Russian billionaires, Galactica Super Nova — said to be linked to the CEO of Russian oil firm Lukoil — is no longer detectable via ship tracker site MarineTraffic , The Daily Beast reported Thursday. 

The superyacht — whose owner is named Vagit Alekperov — had just been in Montenegro last week, Insider reported .

Alekperov is not currently the target of any sanctions. 

The yacht is almost 230 feet long and can hold up to 12 guests and 16 crew members, according to the ship maker Heesen Yachts .

The ship also has a helicopter pad that can turn into an outdoor movie theatre, also according to the ship maker.

The Amore Vero

France seized Amore Vero, a 281-foot megayacht linked to oligarch and politician Igor Sechin, on March 3.

The yacht, Amore Vero, is estimated to have a value of $120 million . It has a swimming pool that doubles as a helicopter pad and a private deck for its owner, according to Oceana , the ship maker.

Per The Wall Street Journal , officials believe that Amore Vero is "owned by a company whose majority shareholder was Mr. Sechin," though the outlet does not provide the name of the company.

Sechin is the CEO of Rosneft, Russia's oil giant, and a former deputy prime minister. A known Putin ally , he was sanctioned by both the EU and the US before France seized his yacht last week .

Sechin was one of seven oligarchs sanctioned by the UK on Thursday. 

People in Russia have referred to Sechin as "Darth Vader" and "the scariest man on Earth," according to The Guardian .

Alisher Usmanov has been sanctioned by the EU, the US, the UK, and Switzerland. His boat remains in Germany, but the country says it hasn't seized it.

Usmanov's Dilbar is "is the largest motor yacht in the world by gross tonnage," according to Lürssen , the German ship's maker.

It's 512-foot long and weighs 15,917 tons. The ship has been docked in Germany for months undergoing a "refitting," but last week Forbes reported that it was unable to leave the dock.

Germany, however, has denied that it formally seized Dilbar.

Forbes said that "the German federal customs agency is the 'responsible enforcement authority' and would have to issue an export waiver for the yacht to leave, and that 'no yacht leaves port that is not allowed to do so.'" 

Still, multiple outlets reported that Usmanov has fired the crew on the Dilbar.

The Uzbekistan-born oligarch is a supporter of Putin. 

"I am proud that I know Putin, and the fact that everybody does not like him is not Putin's problem," Usmanov told Forbes  in a 2010 interview. 

Suleyman Kerimov was sanctioned by the US, and his son, Said Kerimov, owns ICE. The superyacht is worth is an estimated $170 million.

The Kerimov family owns the majority of Polyus Gold, Russia's biggest gold producer .

ICE was dubbed "Superyacht of the Year" in 2006 at the World Super Yacht Awards, according to Boat International . It is approximately 300 feet and has its own resident helicopter, according to Club Yacht .

Quantum Blue

Sergey Galitsky's ship, Quantum Blue, has an estimated value of $250 million and is last known to be docked in Monaco.

Galitsky is the founder of one of Russia's largest supermarket chains, Magnit.

His name is not currently on the list of sanctioned Russian oligarchs,

Though he also is not the target of any current sanctions, Vladimir Potanin's superyacht, Nirvana, is one of at least four ships docked in the Maldives .

Potanin is the Former First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and was a longtime trustee for the Guggenheim museum before stepping down on March 2, according to The New York Times . 

Nirvana is not Potanin's only superyacht, he also owns another named Barbara, according to Fortune .

Alexander Abramov's Titan, Alexei Mordashovis' Nord, and Oleg Deripaska's Clio are also located in the Maldives.

At 533 feet long, Roman Abramovich's Eclipse was the largest yacht on the globe until 2013 when the 590-foot Azzam overthrew it. 

Abramovich, once Russia's richest man , is the departing owner of Chelsea FC soccer club. He was sanctioned by the UK on Thursday along with six other oligarchs, Insider reported .

The luxury boat has a host of amenities, including two helicopter pads, a missile detection system, and a swimming pool more than 50 feet long. It also has space for up to 36 guests and 70 crew members, according to Yacht Harbour .

Insider previously reported that it is currently docked in the Caribbean .

Another yacht named Solaris is linked to Abramovich. The vessel, worth approximately $600 million, left Spain Tuesday after having been under repair since late 2021, Insider reported.

Solaris is 460 feet and can host a total of 36 guests, according to SuperYachtFan .

Tango, owned by the US-sanctioned Viktor Vekselberg, is currently located in Palma, Spain.

Tango can host up to 14 people and is 254 feet long, won the 2012 World Superyacht Awards, and has an estimated worth of $120 million, according to SuperYachtFan .

Vekselberg is a Ukrainian-born businessman who owns Renova, a Russian conglomerate, according to The Guardian .

He was one of nearly two dozen Russian oligarchs and officials that the US sanctioned on Friday.

The US Treasury Department claims that he has close ties with Putin, and has announced that assets such as his $90 million jet and his superyacht Tango have been frozen, Insider reported .

Graceful, a yacht reported to belong to Russian President Vladimir Putin, left Germany just before his invasion of Ukraine, Insider reported in early February.

—Manu Gómez (@GDarkconrad) February 9, 2022

Graceful is 270 feet long and has a saloon, gym, spa, library, and an indoor pool nearly 50 feet long that doubles as a dance floor.

Scheherazade

A mystery yacht remains untouched as the owner remains a mystery.

The owner of the 459-foot Scheherazade is suspected to be a Russian billionaire, though the owner was never publically identified, The New York Times reported .

Many people believe it belongs to Vladimir Putin, nicknaming the vessel "Putin's Yacht."

SuperYachtFan estimates the ship's value sits at $700 million.

Stella Maris

Stella Maris is linked to oil and gas tycoon Rashid Sardarov. It was last seen in Nice, France, according to The Washington Post .

The luxury vessel is priced at $75 million, is 237 feet long, and can hold up to 14 guests, per SuperYachtFan .

Sardarov is not being sanctioned. 

Sailing Yacht A

Sailing Yacht A is believed to belong to Andrey Melnichenko. The boat was seized by Spanish officials Saturday, Reuters reported .

The ship is more than 465 feet long and can hold up to 20 guests, according to SuperYachtFan . The website says that Sailing Yacht A also features an underwater observation area and has a value of more than $500 million.

Melnichenko is an EU-sanctioned Russian billionaire who works in coal and fertilizers, according to Forbes . The magazine also reported that he owns a second yacht, Motor Yacht A, which is similar to a submarine. 

Oligarch Gennady Timchenko's superyacht "Lena" was seized in the port of Sanremo, Italy on March 5, Reuters reported.

Timchenko is the owner of a private investment group, Volga Group and a shareholder of Bank Rossiya. The oligarch has been sanctioned by the EU, which describes him as a "long-time acquaintance of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin."

Timchenko was also sanctioned by the UK on February 22. 

The superyacht is valued at around 50 million euros ($54 million), Reuters reported. It has fold-down terraces, as well as an "owner's suite" which opens out onto the sea with "gull-wing doors," according to its manufacturer, Sanlorenzo.

Italian authorities also seized a $71 million super-yacht belonging to one of the wealthiest men in Russia , Alexei Mordashov. 

The 215-ft "Lady M" superyacht was seized in the Port of Imperia, northern Italy, a source confirmed to Reuters.

The yacht can accommodate up to six guests on and also has accommodation for four crew members, per the Superyacht Times .

The oligarch, who is the chairman of steel mining company, Severstal, has also been sanctioned by the EU, which says Mordashov is "benefiting from his links with Russian decision-makers." Mordashov has insisted he has "absolutely nothing to do" with Russia's attack on Ukraine. 

The Oligarch moved $1.3 billion worth of shares in travel company, TUI, to an offshore tax haven on the day he was hit by sanctions, Insider's Huileng Tan previously reported. 

He was also added to the UK government's sanctions list on March 15.

Some superyachts belonging to Russian billionaires are currently seeking refuge in the Maldives, including a yacht owned by billionaire Oleg Deripaska, Reuters reported.

The billionaire, who is also the founder of one of Russia's largest industrial groups, Basic Element, was added to the UK's sanctions list on March 10.

Also built by Lürssen, the superyacht - which is around 238 feet long - can accommodate 18 guests in nine cabins, per Superyacht Fan.

The superyacht Valerie - worth $140 million - was seized in Barcelona on Monday, Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, said on La Sexta television, per Reuters.  

Sanchez did not confirm the owner of the yacht, but two sources confirmed to Reuters that it belonged to Sergei Chemezov, who is said to be a close ally of Putin.

The oligarch, who was previously a KGB spy with Putin in the former Soviet Union, recently said that Russia would emerge victorious from Western sanctions, Reuters previously reported . 

Chemezov, who is the CEO of Russian defense conglomerate Rostec was added to the US sanctions list on March 3. 

His yacht is 279 feet long and can accommodate 17 guests in eight suites, per Superyacht Fan.

Crescent, most likely owned by Igor Sechin but also rumored to belong to Putin, was the third yacht Spain seized as the West ramps up sanctions, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

The superyacht is 443-feet long and costs an estimated $600 million, according to  SuperyachtFan, which also says the vessel hosts a retractable helicopter hangar and a large pool with a glass bottom.

Lady Anastasia

Lady Anastasia is owned by Russian oligarch Alexander Mikheyev but was seized by Spain on Tuesday, according to Reuters . 

The boat is almost 160 feet long and can hold up to 10 guests, according to Yacht Harbour .

Mikheyev, who was sanctioned by the EU, is the head of a helicopters division under Rostec, New York Mag reported .

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Superyacht feds say was seized from Russian oligarch sails into San Diego

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A $300-million superyacht the U.S. seized from an alleged Russian oligarch in Fiji last month sailed into San Diego Bay on Monday morning.

Known as the Amadea, it is 348 feet long and features a helipad and swimming pool. The Department of Justice says it was owned by Suleiman Kerimov, a gold investor Forbes says is worth $14.5 billion .

It’s not clear how long the seized boat will stay in San Diego. Justice officials said the plan is to eventually sell it off.

“The successful seizure and transport of Amadea would not have been possible without extraordinary cooperation from our foreign partners in the global effort to enforce U.S. sanctions imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war in Ukraine,” the Department of Justice said in a statement Monday.

The U.S. sanctioned Kerimov, who was accused of money laundering related to the purchase of French villas, in 2018. The European Union sanctioned him in March 2022, the Associated Press reported.

That same month, the Department of Justice created Task Force KleptoCapture to enforce the sanctions the U.S. and its foreign allies imposed after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Two months later, on May 5, the Department of Justice announced it had seized the Amadea in Fiji. “Today’s action should make clear that there is no hiding place for the assets of individuals who violate U.S. law,” Atty. Gen. Merrick Garland said that day.

After winning a court battle in Fiji — there was a dispute over the yacht’s actual owner — the U.S. sailed the ship from the South Pacific island on June 7 .

The superyacht stopped in Hawaii last week before heading into San Diego, sailing under the San Diego-Coronado Bridge on its way to its berth Monday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Boat seized in connection with hit-and-run that killed teen girl: Authorities

Authorities in Florida said they have seized a boat believed to be connected to a hit-and-run that killed a teenager wakeboarding in the Miami area over the weekend.

Ella Adler, 15, was struck by a boat while wakeboarding near Nixon Beach in Key Biscayne Saturday afternoon, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.

The teen had fallen in the water while being towed about a mile from shore and was waiting to be recovered by her boat when another vessel fatally struck her, an FWC spokesperson said. The boat that struck the teen did not stop, FWC said.

Following a dayslong search, FWC said Tuesday it has a boat matching the description given by witnesses of the striking vessel in their custody. The 42-foot Boston Whaler has been transported to an FWC evidence compound, the agency said.

The boat's owner and operator -- identified as a 78-year-old man from Coral Gables -- is cooperating with the investigation, FWC said. No charges have been announced in the case.

FWC had called in additional resources and "worked around the clock" to find the vessel, FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto said Tuesday.

"As a father and grandfather, my heart is broken for the Adler family," Barreto said in a statement. "Ella’s death is devastating for her family, friends and the community at large. The FWC and our partner law enforcement agencies will not stop until we have all the answers and the case is solved.”

The investigation remains ongoing. FWC called for anyone with information or footage to contact them.

"The world lost a star this weekend. Ella was beautiful and shined brightly. In her 15 years she gave us more light than we could have ever dreamed," her parents, Amanda and Matt Adler, said in a statement to ABC News. "While we cope with this unspeakable tragedy, we hope the public will help us find the person who took her from us."

Ella Adler was a student at Ransom Everglades School, a college prep day school in the Miami area. The school described her as an "outstanding student, a wonderful dancer and an active member of the Jewish Student Association and speech and debate team."

"Our hearts are broken and our community has been devastated by this tragedy," the school said in a statement. "Ella shined in our classrooms and on our stages, and she embodied the mission of Ransom Everglades School."

Adler was a ballerina who appeared in more than 100 performances with the Miami City Ballet, according to her obituary, which called her a "star" and "force of nature."

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Authorities ID boat operator who fatally struck 15-year-old Ella Adler

By CBS Miami Team

Updated on: May 15, 2024 / 6:46 PM EDT / CBS/CNN

MIAMI - The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission identified the boat operator in connection to the death of 15-year-old Ella Adler, who was struck while water skiing in Biscayne Bay on Saturday.

Authorities say Carlos Guillermo Alonso, 78, of Coral Gables, was the boat's operator.

They say he was the only occupant of the vessel on that day, according to the one-page incident report.  

FWC24ON0038760_updated-2 by sergio.candido on Scribd

The boat was discovered behind a home in the Hammocks Oaks neighborhood in Coral Gables. Neighbors described the man who lives in the home as a family man and an experienced boater. They said he was devastated by what happened.

Rodney Barreto, the Chairman of the FWC,  said this about Ella's death, "It's touched our community in a way." 

"When you're 15 years old you don't expect to go out on a boat and not come home." 

The new preliminary FWC report says she had been on a boat with 12 other people and was being towed while on a wakeboard. 

Records show Alonso owns the house where the vessel was seized.

"The gentleman who was driving the boat who is cooperating with us is Mr. Alonso," said Barreto.

"We have some physical evidence that we have recovered that we have sent to our state lab for testing." 

Barreto says officers used witness descriptions to find the boat.

"It was good old-fashioned police work by our officers. 
We asked them to go up and down the canals from Coconut Grove to South Miami. They went up and down the canals with the physical description they had and recognized the boat." 

Batteto said there was no evidence pointing to reckless or drunk driving.

It's not known if the driver will be cited or charged.

"Our job is to gather information and present it to the State Attorney, so they can do their job." 

The loss of Ella Adler prompts this warning from Barreto: "Make sure you pay attention to the water and always look around because things can happen on the water and they can happen very quickly."

"We encourage people to use a lot of caution and go to boating safety schools." 

"Florida has the most registered boats in the country and Miami-Dade has the most registered boats than any county in Florida."

Ella, the granddaughter of US Ambassador to Belgium Michael M. Adler, was water skiing with friends Saturday near the Nixon Beach sandbar when she fell in the water while being towed and was struck by another boat. The operator of that boat never stopped.

An all out search was then launched to find the boat and driver.

On Wednesday, Florida Fish and Wildlife believed they had found it. 

"I am pleased to report that we have a vessel in custody that matches the description given by witnesses," said FWC's George Reynaud. "The boat is in our custody and the owner is cooperating with us."

On Monday morning, hundreds of people attended services for Adler at Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach.

On Tuesday, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden stopped by in person to offer her condolences and be with the family.

"We are honored that the First Lady paid a shiva call to our family during this time of immense pain. We are touched by their support and love and we are proud to call the President and First Lady our friends for over 40 years," according to a statement from the family.

Adler was a freshman at Ransom Everglades High School and a ballerina with the Miami City Ballet.

"We are heartbroken," Ransom Everglades posted on Facebook. "Ella Adler '27 shined in our classrooms and on our stages, and she embodied the mission of Ransom Everglades School. We wish peace and comfort to her family."

"We at Miami City Ballet and the Miami City Ballet School are utterly devastated by the heartbreaking news of this tragic accident," said the organization which described Adler as a beloved student and a magnificent dancer who graced their stage. "Our hearts go out to Ella's family, friends, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing and adoring her. As we come together, we will profoundly grieve the loss of Ella, and hold dear the precious memories we were fortunate enough to create with her."

"We extend our deepest condolences to the Adler family at this difficult time," the US Embassy to Belgium said in a statement. "Out of respect for their privacy, we have nothing further."

Anyone who saw the accident or anyone who might have video footage or information about it is urged to call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).

The CBS Miami team is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on CBSMiami.com.

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Boat operator who fatally struck a 15-year-old girl in Florida has been identified, officials say

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MIAMI (AP) — Investigators have identified the man who was operating the boat that fatally struck a 15-year-old girl off a South Florida beach and then left the area, but no criminal charges have been filed, according to a report released Wednesday.

The 78-year-old man owns the Coral Gables home where Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers found and seized the docked boat Tuesday afternoon. The man was the only occupant in the boat at the time of Saturday’s hit-and-run crash that left Ella Adler dead, according to the commission’s report.

A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesperson said the investigation was active and they couldn’t speculate on what charges might be filed.

Adler and another girl were wakeboarding behind a 42-foot (13-meter) Hanse Fjord walk-around near Key Biscayne, just south of Miami, on Saturday afternoon before falling off at different spots, officials said. A dozen people had been on the boat pulling Adler. Before the vessel could return to collect her, Adler was hit by another boat, which immediately sped away, officials said. Witnesses described the hit-and-run craft as a center console boat with a light blue hull, multiple white outboard engines and blue bottom paint.

A funeral service for Adler was held Monday morning at Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach. Adler was a freshman at Ransom Everglades School in Coconut Grove and a ballerina with the Miami City Ballet.

Orcas sink sailing yacht in Strait of Gibraltar

An unknown number of orcas have sunk a sailing yacht after ramming it in Moroccan waters in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain’s maritime rescue service said on Monday, a new attack in what has become a trend in the past four years.

The vessel Alboran Cognac, which measured 15 metres (49 feet) in length and carried two people, encountered the highly social apex predators, also known as killer whales, at 9 a.m. local time (0700 GMT) on Sunday, the service said.

The passengers reported feeling sudden blows to the hull and rudder before water started seeping into the ship. After alerting the rescue services, a nearby oil tanker took them onboard and transported them to Gibraltar.

The yacht was left adrift and eventually sank.

The incident is the latest example of  recurring orca rammings  around the Gibraltar Strait that separates Europe from Africa and off the Atlantic coast of Portugal and northwestern Spain.

Experts believe them to involve a subpopulation of about 15 individuals given the designation “Gladis.”

According to the research group GTOA, which tracks populations of the Iberian orca sub-species, there have been nearly 700 interactions since orca attacks on ships in the region were first reported in May 2020.

Researchers are unsure about the causes for the behaviour, with leading theories including it being a playful manifestation of the mammals’ curiosity, a social fad or the intentional targeting of what they perceive as competitors for their favourite prey, the local bluefin tuna.

Although known as killer whales, endangered orcas are part of the dolphin family. They can measure up to eight metres and weigh up to six tonnes as adults.

Authorities intercept four suspected asylum seekers off West Australian coast

Another four suspected asylum seekers have been detained by authorities after their boat was intercepted off the coast of Broome in Western Australia last week.

The ABC has confirmed the group is believed to be from Vietnam and their boat was one of three to arrive in Australian waters since early last week.

A spokesperson for Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil declined to comment in line with longstanding government policy under Operation Sovereign Borders.

On Friday, the ABC revealed 33 suspected asylum seekers were discovered on Christmas Island after their boat was damaged in bad weather. 

That group was initially held on Christmas Island by the Australian Border Force (ABF) before being transferred to another facility, believed to be Nauru.

The group of four is also expected to be transferred to Nauru, however the ABC was not able to confirm their current location.

Another boat carrying five men believed to be from Senegal was found early last week crossing illegally into Australia on a small dinghy in Far North Queensland.

On Saturday, Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham said the recent boat arrivals were a mark against the federal government.

"This is another sign that the Albanese government has no control of Australia's borders," Senator Birmingham said.

"We're in a situation now where the government cannot control or keep Australians safe in Australia from detainees that have been released under Labor's watch and nor are they able to control our borders or stop boats from coming to Australia under Labor's watch."

The federal government has maintained that it has kept the same policies as the Coalition on unauthorised boat arrivals, including turnbacks.

The number of boats intercepted by ABF is kept intentionally vague, but is much reduced from the peak of hundreds of annual arrivals before Operation Sovereign Borders.

The opposition has sought to point to the government's decision to grant permanent visas to a cohort of refugees who had lived "in limbo" on temporary protection visas for a decade as a motivating factor behind recent boat arrivals.

It has also blamed staff shortages within Border Force, which told parliament in October there had been a 6 per cent decrease in sea patrols and a 14 per cent decrease in air patrols compared to the year before.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese would not say at the weekend whether there would be more funding for ABF in Tuesday's budget.

"We have record funding for Border Force in place now, which is why we've been able to ensure that anyone who arrives in such a fashion is not settled in Australia," Mr Albanese said.

"Australian Border Force has dealt with all of these issues expeditiously in a way that is consistent with Australia's public policy of strong border protection."

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