Yacht linked to sanctioned Russian tycoon leaves Hong Kong

By KANIS LEUNG and ZEN SOO
Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — A superyacht linked to sanctioned Russian tycoon Alexey Mordashov has left Hong Kong for South Africa nearly two weeks after the U.S. accused the city of operating as a safe haven for sanctioned individuals. The marine department confirmed that the $500 million superyacht Nord left Hong Kong on Thursday but did not elaborate. The private ship-tracking site MarineTraffic said it was bound for South Africa and was expected to arrive in Cape Town on Nov. 9. The Nord docked in Hong Kong on Oct. 5, putting the city in the crosshairs of U.S.-China tensions. The U.S. State Department said the presence in Hong Kong of assets belonging to sanctioned individuals called into question the “transparency of the business environment” in the city.