Superyacht makes waves in Venice

Roman Abramovich has upset Venetians by mooring his boat in the centre of the city

The residents of Riva dei Sette Martiri on Venice’s Grand Canal are used to having an uninterrupted view of St Mark’s Basin – when Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich’s £115m, 377ft superyacht Luna isn’t in town at least.

Ever since Abramovich and his girlfriend Dasha Zhukova arrived in Venice for the Biennale last week, residents have been grumbling that Luna is ruining the city’s ancient lagoo, according to The Guardian.

Venice’s mayor, Giorgio Orsoni is threatening a new tax on

vessels such as the Luna. “The boats are getting too big and blocking

the view,” he said. “These yachts are showing up to see Venice for free,

but St Mark’s Basin is being turned into a motorway and we have to

start limiting the traffic.”

“I do not recall ever seeing such a large yacht as Abramovich’s moored

so close to the Biennale,” said Enrico Tantucci, who is covering the

event for local newspaper La Nuova Venezia. “It’s like waking

up in the morning to find someone has built an office block where the

water used to be – no wonder locals have been complaining.

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