A Fiji court on Tuesday ordered the seizure of a superyacht reportedly owned by a Russian oligarch who is under sanctions, officials have said.
A restraining order filed last month by the Pacific island nation's director of public prosecutions revealed the US's intention to seize the vessel.
The yacht Amadea arrived in Fiji early last month, after leaving Mexico and crossing the Pacific.
It is estimated to be worth more than $300 million and has been linked in some reports to Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov, a target of US and European Union sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Several yacht-tracking sites list Mr Kerimov as the owner but this could not be independently confirmed.
The court in the Pacific island's capital Suva “has granted the order to seize the superyacht Amadea” after a US warrant for its seizure was filed last month, Fiji's director of public prosecutions said in a statement.
The court had already ruled on April 19 that Fijian authorities could block the vessel from leaving the country's territorial waters while awaiting a decision on the US warrant.
The 107-metre superyacht has a pool, Jacuzzi, helipad and “winter garden” on the sun deck, the website superyachtfan.com says.
US seizes Russian oligarch's yacht – in pictures
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A US Homeland Security Police agent climbs on board the 'Tango' superyacht, belonging to Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, which was seized on behalf of US authorities, as it is docked in Mallorca, Spain. Reuters -
Spanish civil guards and US agents of Homeland Security and the FBI search a yacht owned by Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. AFP -
The seized yatch 'Tango' moors in the port of Palma de Mallorca. It was seized by authorities in concordance with US sanctions imposed against oligarchs and their assets being frozen in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. EPA -
The unidentified prosecutor of the case disembarks 'Tango', followed by Spanish civil guards and US federal agents, in Palma de Mallorca. EPA -
The 'Tango' is seized by authorities. EPA -
The 'Tango' belongs to Renova Group chief Viktor Vekselberg and was seized in the port of Palma de Mallorca, Spain. EPA -
A civil guard and a police dog walk off the yacht. AP -
The yacht is among the assets linked to Viktor Vekselberg, a billionaire and close ally of Russia's President Vladimir Putin, US Treasury Department documents have claimed. AP
A superyacht agent in Fiji acting for the Amadea told Reuters the vessel's lawyers were contesting that Mr Kerimov was the owner.
Registration records viewed by Reuters show the yacht is registered to a company in the Cayman Islands.
Mr Kerimov was sanctioned by the US in 2014 and 2018 in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine and Syria.
Authorities in various countries have seized luxury vessels and villas owned by Russian billionaires in response to sanctions imposed over the invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a special military operation.
