The superyacht 'Amadea' is docked at the Queens Wharf in Lautoka, Fiji. AP
The superyacht 'Amadea' is docked at the Queens Wharf in Lautoka, Fiji. AP
The superyacht 'Amadea' is docked at the Queens Wharf in Lautoka, Fiji. AP
The superyacht 'Amadea' is docked at the Queens Wharf in Lautoka, Fiji. AP

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Australasia

Fiji seizes $300m superyacht ‘Amadea’ from sanctioned Russian oligarch

Luxury vessel linked to oligarch Suleiman Kerimov

The National

May 03, 2022

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A Fiji court on Tuesday ordered the seizure of a superyacht reportedly owned by a Russian oligarch who is under sanctions, officials have said.

A restraining order filed last month by the Pacific island nation's director of public prosecutions revealed the US's intention to seize the vessel.

The yacht Amadea arrived in Fiji early last month, after leaving Mexico and crossing the Pacific.

It is estimated to be worth more than $300 million and has been linked in some reports to Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov, a target of US and European Union sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Several yacht-tracking sites list Mr Kerimov as the owner but this could not be independently confirmed.

The court in the Pacific island's capital Suva “has granted the order to seize the superyacht Amadea” after a US warrant for its seizure was filed last month, Fiji's director of public prosecutions said in a statement.

The court had already ruled on April 19 that Fijian authorities could block the vessel from leaving the country's territorial waters while awaiting a decision on the US warrant.

The 107-metre superyacht has a pool, Jacuzzi, helipad and “winter garden” on the sun deck, the website superyachtfan.com says.

US seizes Russian oligarch's yacht – in pictures

A US Homeland Security Police agent climbs on board the 'Tango' superyacht, belonging to Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, which was seized on behalf of US authorities, as it is docked in Mallorca, Spain. Reuters
A US Homeland Security Police agent climbs on board the 'Tango' superyacht, belonging to Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, which was seized on behalf of US authorities, as it is docked in Mallorca, Spain. Reuters
Spanish civil guards and US agents of Homeland Security and the FBI search a yacht owned by Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. AFP
Spanish civil guards and US agents of Homeland Security and the FBI search a yacht owned by Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. AFP
The seized yatch 'Tango' moors in the port of Palma de Mallorca. It was seized by authorities in concordance with US sanctions imposed against oligarchs and their assets being frozen in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. EPA
The seized yatch 'Tango' moors in the port of Palma de Mallorca. It was seized by authorities in concordance with US sanctions imposed against oligarchs and their assets being frozen in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. EPA
The unidentified prosecutor of the case disembarks 'Tango', followed by Spanish civil guards and US federal agents, in Palma de Mallorca. EPA
The unidentified prosecutor of the case disembarks 'Tango', followed by Spanish civil guards and US federal agents, in Palma de Mallorca. EPA
The 'Tango' is seized by authorities. EPA
The 'Tango' is seized by authorities. EPA
The 'Tango' belongs to Renova Group chief Viktor Vekselberg and was seized in the port of Palma de Mallorca, Spain. EPA
The 'Tango' belongs to Renova Group chief Viktor Vekselberg and was seized in the port of Palma de Mallorca, Spain. EPA
A civil guard and a police dog walk off the yacht. AP
A civil guard and a police dog walk off the yacht. AP
The yacht is among the assets linked to Viktor Vekselberg, a billionaire and close ally of Russia's President Vladimir Putin, US Treasury Department documents have claimed. AP
The yacht is among the assets linked to Viktor Vekselberg, a billionaire and close ally of Russia's President Vladimir Putin, US Treasury Department documents have claimed. AP

A superyacht agent in Fiji acting for the Amadea told Reuters the vessel's lawyers were contesting that Mr Kerimov was the owner.

Registration records viewed by Reuters show the yacht is registered to a company in the Cayman Islands.

Mr Kerimov was sanctioned by the US in 2014 and 2018 in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine and Syria.

Authorities in various countries have seized luxury vessels and villas owned by Russian billionaires in response to sanctions imposed over the invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a special military operation.

UAE%20SQUAD
%3Cp%3E%0DJemma%20Eley%2C%20Maria%20Michailidou%2C%20Molly%20Fuller%2C%20Chloe%20Andrews%20(of%20Dubai%20College)%2C%20Eliza%20Petricola%2C%20Holly%20Guerin%2C%20Yasmin%20Craig%2C%20Caitlin%20Gowdy%20(Dubai%20English%20Speaking%20College)%2C%20Claire%20Janssen%2C%20Cristiana%20Morall%20(Jumeirah%20English%20Speaking%20School)%2C%20Tessa%20Mies%20(Jebel%20Ali%20School)%2C%20Mila%20Morgan%20(Cranleigh%20Abu%20Dhabi).%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
While you're here
Abu Dhabi traffic facts

Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road

The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.

Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.

The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.

The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.

Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019

 

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Tips for job-seekers
  • Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
  • Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.

David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East

Updated: May 03, 2022, 10:13 AM`
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