Roman Abramovich upgrades his $1.2 billion private yacht as a privacy measure
We all know about Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s luxurious private yacht, Eclipse. Like others in Russia’s elite, he lost billions as a result of the global financial crisis, but this hasn’t stopped him from splurging on his luxuries. Tired of the paparazzi following him everywhere Abramovich has upgraded his new $US1.2 billion luxury yacht with an anti-paparazzi laser shield to protect his privacy while he’s cruising the high seas.
The move made by 42-year old billionaire has caused consternation among photographers, who claim they may have grounds for legal action. The world’s most expensive and biggest private yacht has a missile proof hull and windows and it will soon be fitted missile-defense system in France. It is understood the strong defenses, which include a large militarily trained security team, were developed to prevent piracy. The laser shield is able to scan for electronic light sensors used in digital cameras, known as charge-coupled devices. If it detects a camera nearby, it automatically fires a bolt of light, rendering the camera unable to take a picture. It is unclear if the technology can block photographs taken by older analogue cameras. The new yacht, which ended up costing double the intended price, set sail from Hamburg last week. The move to install the laser shield has angered photographers, who often get their most valuable shots by snapping celebrities and their guests cavorting on their yachts in exotic locations. Online news site Amateur Photographer quoted a British media lawyer who claimed photographers might be entitled to claim compensation under laws preventing “intermeddling with goods belonging to someone else”. The lawyer added that protection of privacy might not be an adequate justification here because “there are no private places on the ocean”.
Abramovich, whose net worth is $US8.5 billion already owns the world’s largest private jet, a Boeing 767 dubbed “the bandit”
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