Tweet

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – A former senior Google executive, Friday, became the new owner of the multi-million dollar 276 feet yacht, Alfa Nero, that had been auctioned off in Antigua, following a failed court attempt to block the sale.

Port Authority manager, Darwin Telemacque, who spoke to reporters following the sale of the yacht, said Eric Schmidt, who gave a New York address and had been the chief executive officer of Google from 2001-11, emerged as the highest bidder for the vessel that had been moored in Falmouth Harbour since March 2022 on the southern coast of the island.

International media had said the yacht had been valued at US$81 million and is owned by the sanctioned Russian oligarch Andrey Guryev following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year. Guryev, who was subjected to United Kingdom government sanctions in April 2022, has denied being the owner.

“We are grateful for where it ended up. It is above the forced sale price, which is something we hoped would have really happened and we are grateful,” said Telemacque, adding that the new buyer has seven days to finalise the deal.

“He now owns it and he has the means to move it so lets hope it gets going,” he said, adding “we are going to work with the new owner as quickly as possible to get him and his team to begin the process to get the vessel.

“That is the ultimate intent. We do have a vessel that posses some threat. That vessel is 259 tonnes, it is not a small ship, it drags well over eight meters (and) that means it cannot go many places within our circle around Antigua.

“It needs to get itself fully operational and ready to go and go sailing maybe to the United States and start making some money. We want to welcome it back . We want it to come back and be here as often as it wants to be but we want it to be here with a full crew,” Telemacque told reporters.

“We are pleased we now have an owner for the Alfa Nero and the owner is tasked on taking on all of the responsibilities to get the vessel ready and moving . We do have a hurricane season in existence now and as such it is quite important that the vessel be removed from where it is at and on its way”.