The Niko III off Portocolom.

The Niko III off Portocolom. | Salvem Portocolom

Humphrey CarterPalma09/08/2022 11:58
TW
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The luxury charter yacht Niko III, registered in the tax haven of the Cayman Islands, arrived in the early hours of Monday morning in Portocolom.

“It could have asked for a buoy and paid for it because it is rented out for 80,000 euros a week, but it preferred to devastate the posidonia with its large anchor,” complained the Salvem Portocolom (Save Portocolom) movement.

It has asked the Ministry for Environment to investigate what has happened and take the appropriate measures. “A yacht with a professional crew cannot claim ignorance. The government has to intervene in such serious cases, given the systems that nowadays make it possible to monitor the activities of large yachts,” it said.

Posidonia oceanica, commonly known as Neptune grass or Mediterranean tapeweed, is a seagrass species that is endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. It forms large underwater meadows that are an important part of the ecosystem and is protected.

The Niko III was built in 2012 and refitted in 2018. The 30.6m/100.5ft Custom Line yacht has a flybridge Jacuzzi and wet bar facilities, and room for up to 30 guests.