An American-flagged superyacht involved in alleged drug smuggling in Turkey is currently docked in Bodrum, following a Turkish Coast Guard vessel purposely striking her. Turkish officials claim they seized cocaine and cannabis aboard the yacht and another vessel. But, developments cast doubt over whether the yacht properly flies the U.S. flag.
The incident occurred the evening of July 26. According to Turkey’s Ministry of the Interior, a tipster claimed drugs were aboard a commercial vessel north of Bodrum. That vessel was the 302-foot (92-meter) Ocean Blue, off the town of Yalikavak. The General Directorate of Security and the Coast Guard Command therefore arranged a joint anti-drug operation. While they were investigating her, the agencies discovered that an 89-foot (27-meter) American-flagged superyacht had just parted company with Ocean Blue. Coast Guard and narcotics personnel detained the ship and warned the yacht to stop. Despite visual and audible warnings, the Ministry says, the yacht continued fleeing. Several Coast Guard vessels, along with a plane and a helicopter, pursued her.
Finally, “after a long follow-up with prevention maneuvers,” the Ministry says, the Coast Guard succeeded in stopping the superyacht. Turkish Coast Guard video reveals one of its vessels rammed her, with personnel then quickly boarding her. Photos and video (since deleted) confirm significant damage on the starboard side. The Ministry adds that government agents detained four people aboard the yacht.
The Ministry of the Interior says that searches of the yacht, Ocean Blue, the sea, and the shore uncovered 179 pounds (81 kilograms) of cocaine and 7 pounds (3 kilograms) of cannabis.
Questions remain, though, about the American-flagged superyacht. Notably, the Ministry of the Interior identifies her as Belgor. The video above confirms the name. But, our search of U.S. Coast Guard records did not return any vessel, recreational or otherwise, christened Belgor. All private and commercial vessels registered under the U.S. flag appear in that database. Furthermore, no records of an American-flagged superyacht, or any yacht for that matter, with the name Belgor appear in Equasis or VesselFinder, two online databases. Equasis relies on documentation from various flag states, while VesselFinder draws on AIS data.
Interestingly, further developments from July 31 also seem to indicate the yacht may not be under American ownership. The yacht’s four suspects appeared in a Bodrum court that day. The newspaper Sözcü indicates that during their appearance, information was presented revealing a defunct company, AKE, owned the yacht. AKE acquired her seven to eight years ago in Greece, taking her to Turkey during that period.
Meanwhile, during the same court appearance, the four suspects reportedly told the judge the yacht’s throttles became stuck during the Coast Guard pursuit. The crew also said that they had just returned from a wedding.
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