PHOTO GALLERY

A sea giant washed ashore in Vanuatu

Damaged flagship sailboat Benetti Blue Gold lying on the beach for more than 3.5 years

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Blue Gold is the largest sailboat built by Benetti. The 50-metre boat was launched in 1982. She could accommodate 12 guests in five cabins.

In 2012, the yacht was arrested for tax evasion by the government of Vanuatu (Melanesia, Pacific Ocean). Blue Gold was implicated in the investigation. Her owner, Dutch investor and owner of the Begemann Group Joep van den Nieuwenhuyzen , allegedly owed her crew a significant amount.

In March 2015, the boat was damaged and washed ashore when a Cyclone raged in the region «Pam». Since then, the vessel has been lying abandoned on the reefs near the village of Sunae on Moso Island.

Blue Gold is dangerous to the reef and the environment. It has the potential to damage all of Havanna Harbor. As recently as last summer. locals asked the government to remove it from the reef. But due to legal issues, Blue Gold still remains in place. Van den Nieuwenhuizen was convicted of fraud in 2006, and while an appeals court later overturned that decision, it still creates additional problems when Vanuatu authorities try to interact with his property.

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