basra

Ocean Breeze Yacht Back in Iraq, Could Be For Sale Again

The Ocean Breeze (also known as the Basrah Breeze), the yacht once owned by Saddam Hussein, is back in Iraqi waters after a long legal battle that determined that the yacht belonged to Iraq and not Jordan. The yacht was in France for a time but then went to Greece for renovations.

An article on ITN quotes Mehdi Ali, director general of the Iraqi Maritime Company who said that the damaged parts of the yacht were repaired and the yacht went through the Suez canal, to the United Arab Emirates and then home to Basra. Iraq plans to put the yacht back on the market again. It failed to sell in 2008 when it was priced at $30 million. It's not clear if the yacht's over-the-top gilled and marble decor has been updated. The yacht was launched in 1981 and included safety features like a bulletproof atrium with banquet seating for 200, two medical treatment centers and a mini operating theater, and a helipad. No word yet on how much the 269-foot yacht will be listed for this time.

Gallery: Ocean Breeze