by InTrieste
Italian authorities intercepted a 40-year-old man Tuesday morning after he attempted to approach the luxury yacht Yacht Ain the Gulf of Trieste. The man, who had stolen a small motorboat from a local rowing club in Barcola, told authorities he was a “secret agent” and later claimed he owned the yacht.
The 142-meter, three-masted vessel, considered the largest sailing ship in the world, is linked to Belarusian oligarch Andrey Melnichenko, a known associate of President Vladimir Putin. It has been moored in Trieste for four years.
According to the local newspaper Il Piccolo, maintaining the yacht costs roughly €9 million annually. That figure is expected to rise to €36 million next month, marking four years since the yacht arrived in the harbor following sanctions imposed in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The vessel has become a local attraction, and Tuesday’s incident was described by authorities as a dramatic but ultimately harmless attempt to reach it.
The man’s approach was stopped by a Guardia di Finanza patrol before he reached the yacht. Officials said the episode did not involve espionage, sabotage, or political protest. When intercepted, the man gave conflicting explanations for his actions, at one point claiming to be an undercover agent and then asserting ownership of the yacht.
Authorities determined he was experiencing a mental health crisis. He is known to the local mental health center in Barcola and was placed under compulsory medical treatment after refusing therapy.
The rowing club, which recovered the stolen motorboat, does not intend to press charges, citing concern for the man’s fragile condition.
