Ruins of by Saddam Hussein former president sailboat Shatt al-Arab waterway haunts in Basra, Iraq, attracting adventurers and local fishermen in the aftermath of the by Saddam Hussein overthrow and then his death.
In case you lost it:
The 396-foot yacht, dubbed “al-Mansur,” was once one of the dictator’s private fleets, but Saddam Hussein never boarded the yacht after it was built in the 19th century.80s, according to CNN. And Hussein won’t get the chance to do so, as the yacht was targeted by US forces during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and capsized during the conflict.
The yacht will be looted and stripped, its chandeliers and furniture ripped and even its metal structural parts removed. CNN report. What remains is a rusted hull, and major structural parts that are probably not worth the bother of cutting. It’s ironic that the name of the yacht is a refers to a historical caliph, or religious ruler, has the title of “conqueror”. And yet, the ship is now conquered.
G/O Media can receive commission
Three Day Sale!
Best Buy – 3-Day Sale
Big sale! Three days only!
Best Buy’s exclusive three-day deal touches every category sidewide. If there ever was a time to buy some tech, it’s now.
It was one of three of luxe yachts owned by Hussein; it could fit up to 200 guests and even had a helipad. As with most of Hussein’s property, the people of Basra were forbidden to go near the yacht during the iron-fisted reign of the deposed dictator, but local fishermen and other sightseers routinely visit the shipwreck, which has become a curious attraction for leisure of all things, as Reuters explain:
“When it was owned by the former president, no one could go near it,” said fisherman Hussein Sabahi, who likes to end a long day on the river with a cup of tea on the wreck. […] “I can’t believe this belongs to Saddam and now I’m the one moving around it,” he said.
Now, locals are free to climb aboard the conquered ship, up there for picnics and tea. While it was once thought to be a symbol of Saddam Hussein’s wealth and power, the capsized yacht is now a symbol of Hussein’s downfall – and possibly one of those hard-to-reach destinations. the world’s most probable place for a quiet cup of tea.
