Nord, the luxury superyacht belonging to sanctioned Russian oligarch Alexey Mordashov, left Hong Kong on 20 October and, according to the yacht’s automatic identification system (AIS), was scheduled to arrive in Cape Town tomorrow, 9 November. But the vessel has literally gone off the radar.
The Transnet Port Authority told Business Insider that it has not yet received any written berthing request for the yacht, and the Waterfront has not received an application for Nord to moor in its waters.
The yacht is no longer traceable and went dark by turning off its location transponders in waters northwest of Indonesia on 26 October. The last known location of the vessel is reported as passing through the Strait of Malacca around 26 October, cruising at a speed of 17 knots in calm waters.
The AIS on vessels of 300 gross tonnages and larger should always remain switched on as a measure of safety and security. The AIS system is only allowed to be switched off in situations of imminent danger or if the master is certain that the signal will compromise the safety and security of the vessel. Deliberately turning off the AIS compromises the safety of all vessels at sea.
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Video: inside Mordashov’s megayacht en route to Cape Town
Picture: Getaway gallery