Oligarchs' yachts: Seized or under speculation — in pictures
Superyachts have made headlines in recent weeks as European authorities target luxury vessels linked to Russian oligarchs. Some of Russia's richest men are still trying to protect their ships.
Sailing Yacht A
This 143-meter (470-foot) Sailing Yacht A, also referred to as "SY A," is valued at around €530 million ($578 million). Italian authorities seized it after identifying the owner as Russian billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko. He owns major fertilizer producer EuroChem Group and coal company SUEK. Both companies announced recently that Melnichenko had resigned as a board member.
The Lena
Italian authorities also seized this 52-meter (170.6 foot) boat with an estimated value of €50 million as it was moored in San Remo, northwestern Italy. It is owned by Gennady Timchenko, chairman of the Russian national hockey league with stakes in oil and gas companies. The 69-year-old oligarch has been sanctioned by the US and the EU.
The Dilbar in Hamburg
The Dilbar has two helipads and a 25-meter swimming pool. Speculation has surrounded this 150-meter ship. Some German media reported that it was seized by authorities in Hamburg, where it is docked for repairs. Some officials declined to comment and others denied the reports, saying that they had been unable to confirm its ownership.
Ownership transfer
The Dilbar superyacht ship is reportedly associated with oligarch Alisher Usmanov, who is on the EU sanctions lists. A spokesman for Usmanov told Der Spiegel that the yacht's ownership had been transferred "a long time ago" to a foundation for Usmanov's relatives.
Fleeing to Turkey
Eclipse is the second superyacht linked to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, owner of the English football club Chelsea, to have docked in a Turkish resort in apparent avoidance of EU waters. The 162.5-meter superyacht — one of the world's biggest — is reported to have two helipads, nine decks, a swimming pool and built-in missile defenses.
The Scheherazade: Is this Putin's superyacht?
The 140-meter-long ship, worth around €700 million, is currently the most infamous yacht in Italy. A New York Times report said US intelligence agencies have found initial indications that it is linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin. But other reports said Putin was not the documented owner. Italy is investigating its ownership. It has been reportedly parked for maintenance in Tuscany.