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Court in Palma dropped case against Ukrainian engineer

The investigative court in Palma de Mallorca has dropped the case against the Ukrainian engineer Taras Ostapchuk, who tried to sink the 'Lady Anastasia' of the Russian oligarch Alexander Mikheev, managing director of Rosoboronexport, Russia's largest state-owned armaments production and sales company, in Port Adriano on Feb 26. The man had stated that he wanted revenge for the Russian invasion of his homeland. The man, who was employed as an engineer on the ship, had opened valves in the engine room. Other employees on board managed to close them before the engine room was flooded. The man was arrested by the Guardia Civil and released after he testified in court. He then left Mallorca to fight in his homeland. The court justified the temporary suspension of the proceedings with the fact that it was impossible to locate Ostapchuk, and that he was only accused of minor damage to property. The yacht was confiscated by Spanish authorities a few weeks after the incident.

Ukrainian crew member flooded yacht of Russian arms manufacturer

A Ukrainian national was arrested in the afternoon of Feb 27, 2022, after he tried to sink the St. Vincent-Grenadines flagged luxury yacht 'Lady Anastasia', 476 gt (IMO:8742496) of a Russian millionaire in Port Adriano. He was employed as an engine operator on the ship and had boarded it in the morning in an upset state of mind. He asked other employees to abandon the ship as he wanted to sink it. He then opened a valve to flood the engine room and a second in a compartment where the crew lives. He told the other crew memebers, also Ukrainians, to abandon ship and that he would take full responsibility. However, they still tried to stop the leak along with workers from the port. The vessel is partially sunk with a destroyed engine room. When the police arrived, the man confessed quickly but he has since been released although it is not clear if he will be charged. Shortly before the action he had heard that his house in Ukraine had been destroyed by a Russian attack. According to unconfirmed reports, the owner of the yacht is said to be a Russian arms manufacturer. The perpetrator was brought before the magistrate in Palma de Mallorca on Feb 27 and released subject to conditions after the hearing. The Guardia Civil investigators were currently trying to determine the exact course of events and the damage. The engine room could not initially be examined because it was under water. It was also determined who exactly is the owner of the yacht, as it is officially registered in the name of a company.