Superyacht owned by billionaire American investor to be investigated for damaging Belize coral reef

The 60.96-metre (200-foot) Samadhi was seen dropping its anchor at the Lighthouse Reef Atoll, a popular diving site, famous for a giant marine sinkhole named the Great Blue Hole.

Samadhi is being investigated by authorities in Belize, after a video emerged showing the boat damaging a protected coral reef. Daniel Loeb, owner of the vessel, was not present at the time, as the yacht was being leased out on a charter. It has been reported that Loeb is fully cooperating with authorities following the incident.

Loeb commented, “As a life-long surfer and someone who loves the ocean, I was horrified to hear about this incident in Belize. We promptly contacted the Belize Audubon Society (a conservation group) and are committed to working together to restore the reef.”

The yacht was anchored onto a patch of sand off the coast of Belize and the anchor inadvertently dragged onto coral, according to an emailed statement by Wright Maritime Group, the company managing the vessel.

The Belize barrier reef is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest of its kind in the northern hemisphere.

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Source: Bloomberg

March 28, 2024
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