Wrecked in a river in southern Iraq, the rusted wreck of a yacht that once belonged to Saddam Hussein serves as a stark reminder of his iron-fisted rule that ended the US-led invasion two decades ago.
The 121-meter “al-Mansur”, a symbol of Saddam’s wealth and power when it was built in the 1980s, is now a destination for tourists and fishermen who climb aboard the wreckage for picnics and tea.
“When it belonged to the former president, nobody came close,” said fisherman Hussein Sabahi, who likes to end a long day on the river with a cup of tea aboard the wreck.
“I can’t believe this belonged to Saddam and now I’m the one messing with it,” he said.
Saddam issued orders for the yacht, which he never boarded, to leave its anchorage at Umm Qasr for Basra for safekeeping a few weeks after the start of the invasion on 20 March 2003.
But it was targeted by US-led forces and then capsized on the Shatt al-Arab waterway when it fell into disrepair.
In the turmoil that followed Saddam’s fall, the yacht was stripped and looted, with everything from chandeliers and furniture to parts of her metal frame removed. One of three owned by Saddam, the yacht could accommodate up to 200 guests and was equipped with a helipad.
US officials estimated in 2003 that Saddam and his family may have amassed as much as $40 billion in illicit funds. Another one of his yachts was turned into a hotel in Basra.
While some Iraqis say the wreck must be preserved, successive governments have failed to allocate funds to recover it.
“This yacht is like a precious jewel, like a rare masterpiece that you keep at home,” said Zahi Moussa, a naval captain who works in the Iraqi transport ministry.
“We were sad that this was the case.”
Source: CNN Brasil
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