- A Russian oligarch's superyacht stopped sending out tracking signals for almost two weeks.
- Leonid Mikhelson's yacht only sent its destination after reaching Turkey's safe waters, data shows.
- Many superyachts owned by oligarchs are now in Turkey, which does not recognize western sanctions.
A $150 million superyacht belonging to Russia's second-richest man has finally been located after it stopped broadcasting a tracking signals for weeks, ship-tracking data shows.
Bloomberg first reported the story.
The superyacht called Pacific, owned by Novatek CEO and oligarch Leonid Mikhelson, moored on Thursday in Turkey's safe waters at the port of Marmaris in the country's south, Spire's data shows.
The 280ft (86 metre) yacht turned off its tracking signals from early May where it was last tracked in the Caribbean Sea. Its marker had pinpointed the yacht on May 20 near the Canary Islands, off the west coast of Africa.
Mikhelson, worth $21.5 billion per Forbes data, is a business partner of sanctioned oligarch Gennady Timchenko, whose family including his wife and daughters have also been hit by sanctions.
Mikhelson was sanctioned by the UK and Canada in early April.
Turkey has been a favored destination for oligarchs' superyachts following the imposition of sanctions by the West. Roman Abramovich's superyachts The Eclipse and My Solaris are both in Turkish waters.
According to SuperyachtFan, the yacht can accommodate two helicopters, features an elevator, a pool, a smaller speedboat, and has room for 12 guests and 28 crew.
Novatek is the largest privately owned natural gas provider in Russia, according to Bloomberg, accounting for about 10% of consumption.
Insider contacted Novatek for comment.
The US and its allies launched a campaign against Russian tycoons with ties to Vladimir Putin by seizing superyachts, villas, and other assets.
However, legal challenges have risen in Fiji, where the US granted a seizure order of the $325 million Amadea that belongs to Suleiman Kerimov. A Russian billionaire had acted as a "straw owner" to conceal its ownership, US authorities have alleged.
Vagit Alekperov's $80 million superyacht, Galactica Super Nova, also stopped sending tracking signals after leaving Montenegro in early March after sanctions were imposed.
Other vessels belonging to oligarchs have sailed toward Turkey, including Dmitry Kamenshchik's $400 million superyacht, and Alexander Abramov's $100 million yacht.
