A £38 million superyacht has been detained in London as part of sanctions against Russia, transport secretary Grant Shapps has announced.
UK officials boarded Phi – owned by a Russian businessman – in Canary Wharf, east London yesterday.
The vessel is the first to be detained in the UK under sanctions imposed because of the war in Ukraine.
Phi – named after the mathematical concept – made her maiden voyage last year after being built in the Netherlands.
“Infinite wine cellar”
She is bright blue and features what is described as an “infinite wine cellar” and a freshwater swimming pool.
At 58.5 metres long, she is twice as long as the other boats docked around her in Canary Wharf.
Someone, thought to be a member of crew, has also stuck a paper sign reading “P&O JUSTICE FOR THE 800” to the side of the boat after the company sacked nearly 800 seafarers without notice.
Faisal Islam tweeted on the matter, writing: “Detained superyacht is Dutch built Phi, launched only last year, and has a “patented” fresh water swimming pool and “infinite wine cellar”
Brian Cox
Professor Brian Cox wasn’t having it though and replied: “It doesn’t have an infinite wine cellar. Unless it contains an eternal Kerr black hole, although even then it wouldn’t be a very good wine cellar because you couldn’t get the wine out, at least into our Universe.”
Yes kids science can be fun!
Related: Union blasts government’s ‘futile tinkering’ as P&O Ferries ignore Shapps’ last plea