GERMANY/FILE: Alleged Roman Abramovich luxury yacht Eclipse leaves German dry dock, rumoured to have on-board missile defence system
Record ID:
644692
GERMANY/FILE: Alleged Roman Abramovich luxury yacht Eclipse leaves German dry dock, rumoured to have on-board missile defence system
- Title: GERMANY/FILE: Alleged Roman Abramovich luxury yacht Eclipse leaves German dry dock, rumoured to have on-board missile defence system
- Date: 18th April 2010
- Summary: HAMBURG, GERMANY (APRIL 16, 2010) (REUTERS) PULLOUT FROM LUXURY YACHT "ECLIPSE" REPORTED TO BELONG TO ROMAN ABRAMOVICH LEAVING DRY DOCK AT HAMBURG'S SHIPYARD "BLOHM & VOSS" ONLOOKERS ON WATERFRONT ECLIPSE LEAVING DRY DOCK WIDE OF ECLIPSE NAME "ECLIPSE" ON SHIP VARIOUS OF ECLIPSE LEAVING SAILING OFF ONLOOKERS WATCHING FROM QUAY ECLIPSE TURNING AROUND MEN ON BOARD, SOME WEARING NEON GREEN VESTS, WAVING VARIOUS OF ECLIPSE SAILING PAST, RETURNING TO SHIPYARD (SOUNDBITE) (German) ONLOOKER, LOTHAR RUDOLF SAYING: "What I really would like to see is the interior and all the technology inside. Apparently it's the world's most expensive yacht of some Russian Gastrom (Gazprom) billionaire or something. I'm interested in the setup and everything, highly interesting." ECLIPSE RETURNING TO SHIPYARD (SOUNDBITE) (German) ONLOOKER, LOTHAR RUDOLF SAYING: "Well, apparently there are still people with money." ECLIPSE RETURNING TO SHIPYARD
- Embargoed: 3rd May 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: People,Transport
- Reuters ID: LVA7GNSIQLS64RCWE6FWJNIN2PTV
- Story Text: A luxury yacht which reportedly belongs to Russian billionaire and owner of Chelsea soccer club Roman Abramovich left the dry dock at a Hamburg shipyard in northern Germany on Friday (April 16) as onlookers watched in awe.
The yacht, which is the length of a medium-sized freight ship and half as big as the luxury liner Queen Mary II, left "Blohm & Voss" shipyards around 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) for a short spin on the Elbe river before returning for further work.
Local newspapers and radios reported that the "Eclipse," "the world's largest yacht" measuring almost 170 metres, would be equipped with an on-board missile defence system, a miniature submarine, a wellness area with outdoor whirlpools surrounded with bullet-proof glass as well as twenty jet skis.
Abramovich, who bought Chelsea Football Club in 2003, has played a significant role in Russian soccer, mainly sponsoring a number of RFU's projects.
Until last year, the National Academy Fund, sponsored by Abramovich, was paying the 7-million euro (9.33 million US dollars) salary of former Russia coach Guus Hiddink under an agreement with then RFU president Vitaly Mutko.
One Hamburg newspaper, citing no sources, on Friday reported the "Eclipse's" prize tag to be around 800 million euros (1.12 billion US dollars).
Other sources wrote it cost 400 million euros to build the ship.
Neither the shipyard or Abramovich's spokespeople were willing to comment.
Eager to get a glimpse of the yacht, some onlookers had waited for more than three hours before the ship made its appearance.
Pensioner Lothar Rudolf said "what I really would like to see is the interior and all the technology inside."
Another man, Bruno Schulz, just shook his head, laughing.
"Well, apparently there are still people with money," Schulz said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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