$700m superyacht owned by sanctioned oligarch Roman Abramovich sails to his other $600m ship in the Mediterranean
A $700 million superyacht owned by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich appears to be heading for his other $600 million ship in the Mediterranean Sea, according to ship tracking data.
MarineTraffic’s map suggests that if the two superyachts maintain their current course, they will eventually meet in the Ionian Sea, a part of the Mediterranean separating Greece and Italy.
Abramovich’s 533ft superyacht Eclipse was just off the coast of Algeria on Tuesday, sailing east through the Mediterranean Sea, MarineTraffic data showed. The $700 million vessel, according to SuperYacht Fan, has been en route from St. Maarten in the Caribbean since Feb. 21, the data shows.
Abramovich’s 460ft vessel Solaris, which was off the east coast of Italy on Friday, was between the coasts of southeastern Italy and Albania on Tuesday, data from MarineTraffic. The website showed Solaris moving south.
Some Russian oligarchs and billionaires believed to have close ties to President Vladimir Putin, including Abramovich, are moving themselves, their yachts and their private jets following sanctions announced by international governments. Their assets could be seized as part of measures targeting the Russian elite in response to Moscow’s decision to invade Ukraine.
Abramovich is one of seven Russian oligarchs sanctioned by the UK on Thursday. Sanctions include freezing their assets and banning them from doing business with the country.
Other jurisdictions, including the European Union, have announced similar sanctions. Spanish authorities said on Monday they seized a $153 million superyacht that was later linked to Russian oligarch Sergei Chemezov, CEO of Russian defense conglomerate Rostec and a close ally of Putin.
There was no destination port for Eclipse or Solaris listed on MarineTraffic’s website, so it’s unclear where Abramovich’s superyachts will dock next. Solaris, worth $600 million, according to SuperYacht Fan, had been moored at a Spanish shipyard since late 2021 for repairs until she sailed last week.
Reuters first reported that Abramovich was spotted in a VIP lounge at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel on Monday the same day flight tracking data showed a private jet linked to him had flown in from Israel. in Istanbul. It was unclear if Abramovich was on the plane, Reuters reported.