Despite the sanctions, the oligarch boat left Croatian waters intact, which the authorities only realized three months later. The Croatian Prime Minister is demanding consequences.
The mysterious disappearance of a yacht confiscated from a Russian oligarch has occupied the Croatian public for days. According to Croatian media, Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov’s boat, which was sanctioned by Croatian authorities, disappeared from a marina in Dalmatia last October, but authorities have only now realized it. The yacht is said to have left Croatian waters quite regularly.
According to reports, the Public Ministry and the Croatian intelligence service are now involved in the investigation into the circumstances of the disappearance. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Tuesday announced the consequences for all those responsible for the failure. “I share the dissatisfaction with the disappearance of the confiscated yacht,” he said at Question Time in Parliament, explaining that reports were expected from the responsible ministries and all relevant services. “Something like this should not happen,” added the prime minister.
From dry dock in Croatia to Turkey
The 35-meter yacht “Irina VU”, one of five oligarch yachts seized in Croatia as a result of Russian sanctions, was in dry dock at a marina on the island of Murter. According to data from the website marinetraffic.com, the boat Sunseeker 115 left the Croatian port on October 6, 2022 and three days later entered the Turkish port of Didim, which is also its last known whereabouts, media reported. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs confirmed that it was informed last week.
As reported by the media, citing unofficial sources, the luxury yacht with Croatian crew would have left the marina first and then Croatian waters near Dubrovnik normally. The boat is said to have passed the harbor master as well as customs and border police without a hitch. The sanctions shouldn’t have been noted anywhere, which is why all the services gave the green light for them to expire, he said.
(APA)