Second Superyacht Linked to Russian Oligarch Abramovich Tracked Off Turkey

ISTANBUL, March 22 (Reuters) – A superyacht linked to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich was nearing the Turkish tourist resort of Marmaris on Tuesday, ship tracking data showed, a day after another yacht linked to him docked in the resort of Bodrum, also in southwest Turkey.

The yacht Eclipse was heading in the direction of Marmaris, about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) from its port after cruising southeast of the Greek islands of Crete and Rhodes, according to Marine Traffic data.

The data also showed the superyacht Solaris remained moored in Bodrum, some 80 km (50 miles) away, having skirted the waters of European Union countries which have sanctioned the oligarch over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

There was no indication that Abramovich was aboard either of the vessels. He was among several wealthy Russians added last week to a European Union blacklist, and EU governments have acted in recent days to seize yachts and other luxury assets from them. 

World governments are seeking to isolate President Vladimir Putin and his allies over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, which the Kremlin calls a “special military operation.” 

Last week, Abramovich flew into Moscow after leaving Istanbul in his private jet. According to flight-tracking data it was a second trip by a jet linked to Abramovich between the Turkish city and the Russian capital in three days.

A spokesperson for Abramovich didn’t immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment. 

The 140-meter (460-foot) yacht Solaris docked in Bodrum on Monday afternoon, just over a week after it left Montenegro’s Adriatic resort town of Tivat on March 13.

Since then the vessel, which sails under a Bermuda flag according to monitoring site Marine Traffic, had tracked south and rounded the Greek island of Crete in recent days before reaching Turkish waters on Monday morning. 

(Reporting by Daren Butler; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)

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