For the third time this week, Spanish authorities are temporarily holding a yacht. They are investigating whether she has ties to Russians under international sanctions. Crescent is detained in Port Tarraco, in the city of Tarragona.
Spain’s Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (MITMA) confirmed that it “has agreed to provisionally immobilize” the 443-footer (135-meter). The detention took place on March 16. MITMA indicates that Crescent arrived in Tarragona on November 2. Additionally, it says, the yacht’s captain informed the port captain of the intention to depart on March 4, but ultimately didn’t leave.
MITMA does not identify the owner or whether it has evidence suggesting the owner is Russian. Rather, in a press statement, the agency says it’s gathering details to confirm her ownership. This, in turn, will help it identify whether that person is under sanctions from the European Union. Those sanctions stem from the invasion of Ukraine. If verified, MITMA will formally arrest the yacht. Notably, Reuters news service says an unidentified police source identifies the owner as Igor Sechin. Sechin is the chief executive of Rosneft, a Russian oil company, and under sanctions by the EU.
While Crescent is detained, Tarragona’s port captain will oversee the superyacht’s safety, as well as that of the crew and the port. The yacht saw delivery in 2018 from Lürssen and went by the code name Project Thunder during construction.
As mentioned, MITMA is holding two other superyachts, too. Earlier this week, it detained Valerie and Anastasia. Similarly to Crescent, both yachts remain prohibited from leaving the dock. The 279-foot (85-meter) Valerie is sitting in Barcelona. Anastasia, meanwhile, is in Port Adriano. The latter further is the same yacht that a Ukrainian crewmember attempted to sink in late February. He admitted the attempt, angered that the owner is reportedly a Russian who runs the state arms seller.
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