16/02/06 Finding le Grand Bleu (Ninth Largest Yacht in the World)

by Sail-World Cruising on 22 Feb 2006 Sender: Matt McGrath

Message: I don't know about the Americas, but I saw her in Nai Harn Bay (Phuket) in Thailand yesterday. impressive yacht!

Cruising Editor Reply:

Hi Matt
Thank you for bringing us up to date on where she is now. When Diane Byrne reported her in Vancouver last year, the report said she was there for some maintenance, that Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich, her secretive owner, was not on board, and that her next destination would be Alaska. Further investigations now show that she was in Auckland New Zealand during January this year, and that the owner was still not on board. On leaving, the crew refused to say, even to customs officials, what her next port of call was to be. After the ship left port, one of her crew was found drowned in the waters of Auckland Harbour, so I wonder will the New Zealand police be following Le Grand Bleu to Phuket?
Cheers

Nancy Knudsen