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A Superyacht Gave a Lifeline to 100 Migrants Thrown Into the Sea

A $175 million vessel responded to a distress call and helped rescue survivors in one of the Mediterranean’s worst wrecks in decades, reflecting the new inequality of the seas.

By Jason Horowitz and Matina Stevis-Gridneff

Jason Horowitz reported from Souda, Greece, on the island of Crete, and Matina Stevis-Gridneff from Brussels.

The superyacht Mayan Queen IV was sailing smoothly in clear weather through the dark and calm Mediterranean in the early hours of June 14 when it received a call about a migrant ship in distress four nautical miles away.

About 20 minutes later, shortly before 3 a.m., the towering $175-million yacht, owned by the family of a Mexican silver magnate, arrived at the scene. The distressed boat had already sunk. All the four-person crew could see were the lights of a Greek Coast Guard vessel scanning the water’s inky surface. But they could hear the screams of survivors.

“Horrible,” said the Mayan Queen’s captain, Richard Kirkby, who described the sea as “pitch black” on that nearly moonless night.

In a few hours, the 305-foot Mayan Queen, more accustomed to pleasure boating to Monaco and Italy with billionaires and their friends aboard, was filled with 100 desperate, dehydrated and sea-soaked Pakistani, Syrian, Palestinian and Egyptian men, as it played an unexpected role in one of the deadliest migrant shipwrecks in decades. As many as 650 men, women and children drowned .

The incongruous image of the devastated survivors disembarking the Mayan Queen on a port in Kalamata last week underlined what has become the strange reality of the modern Mediterranean, where the superyachts of the superrich, equipped with swimming pools, Jacuzzis, helipads and other trappings of luxury, share the seas with the most destitute on smuggler-operated boats perilously crossing from northern Africa to Europe.

The world’s waterways have become a reflection of global inequalities in recent days. In the North Atlantic, a billionaire, his son and other businessmen set out to explore the wreck of the Titanic on a luxury tourist submersible that has gone missing, touching off an international search and rescue operation .

Days earlier, the Greek authorities repeatedly decided not to assist a roughly 80- to 100-foot fishing trawler stuffed with as many as 750 people fleeing desperate poverty and the displacement of war in Greece’s search-and-rescue area. Only when the ship sank in front of the Coast Guard did the authorities spur to action, calling on the Mayan Queen, one of the world’s 100 largest yachts.

“As soon as you are notified and in close proximity and you can do so, you are obligated,” to try and rescue, said Aphrodite Papachristodoulou, an expert in the law of the sea and human rights at the Irish Centre for Human Rights. She said it was not unusual to have luxury yachts in the area.

Why the Greek authorities needed to call on a passing yacht to come to the rescue of an overcrowded and rickety ship that they had been monitoring and communicating with in their search-and-rescue area for a full day, she said, was less obvious.

“The practice of nonassistance or delay of assistance and why the Greeks were not proceeding to the rescue is another question mark,” she said.

There was one Greek Coast Guard vessel already on the scene when the Mayan Queen arrived, and its seamen were in a raft saving scores of men from the water. The crew of the Mayan Queen lowered its life raft with three of its own crew, and followed the cries for help, pulling 15 men onboard, the captain said.

A vivid retelling of events provided under sworn testimony by Mr. Kirkby, and obtained by The New York Times, added that none of those saved were wearing life vests. Some clutched floating pieces of wood. For hours afterward, the yacht crew kept eerily quiet and beamed its brightest lights to better hear and see.

Investigators are still seeking to understand what exactly happened as the trawler sank trying to reach Italy — whether smugglers refused assistance and panic on the ship caused it to capsize, as the Coast Guard claims, or whether a failed attempt to tow the ship caused it to sink, as some survivors contend. In either case, it fell to the Mayan Queen to shoulder much of the rescue.

The gleaming yacht, sailing from Italy, transported 100 of the 104 survivors and four Greek coast guard officials — as well as about a dozen bodies — to port.

“I would like to think that we did what anyone would do,” said Mr. Kirkby, who used to pilot the superyacht Le Grand Bleu , of the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich. He added on Wednesday that, because of a nondisclosure agreement and the “contentious” circumstances of the ship’s sinking, he could not say much more.

“I wouldn’t like to see the Coast Guard get a bad rap,” he said. “They did all they could.”

Mr. Kirkby spoke briefly in a cafe in the port of Souda, where the yacht was docked near a cruise ship delivering tourists to the Cretan city of Chania, an industrial Russian vessel and a parking lot filled with stationary truck containers. The vessel’s crew carried out chores, and like the captain wore T-shirts featuring a drawing of the yacht on the back and a B, for the family of the ship’s late owner, Alberto Baillères, on the breast pocket.

On Wednesday morning one crewman carried an umbrella up the gangway that the migrants unsteadily walked down last week, some of them met by stretchers and health workers with foil blankets. By the ship’s stern, with the silvered letters of “Mayan Queen” and “George Town” sparkling in the hot sun and under pumping house music, crew members worked where the migrants huddled upon reaching the Kalamata port.

According to Boat International, a yachting news site, the Mayan Queen, which flies a Cayman Islands flag, is in the top 100 for the world’s largest superyachts. It was built by the Hamburg-based shipbuilder Blohm & Voss GmbH in 2008 and designed by Tim Heywood , a favorite of the yachting set.

“Her power comes from two diesel engines. She can accommodate up to 26 guests, with 24 crew members,” the magazine wrote. “She is built with a teak deck, a steel hull, and aluminium superstructure.”

That craftsmanship stood in stark contrast to the condition of the ship that hundreds of migrants, paying thousands of dollars a head, crammed into last week in Libya, in the hopes of reaching Italy.

Witnesses said in sworn testimony obtained by The Times that passengers suffered beatings with belts and deprivation. Smugglers threw food into the water. Pakistani men were kept in the hold and hundreds of them sank with women and children into one of the deepest parts of the Mediterranean. Only the lucky ones reached the Mayan Queen’s decks.

At around 6 a.m. on the morning of the wreck, as the sun came up, Mr. Kirkby received a call to transport all the 100 rescued men from the Coast Guard vessel to the nearest port.

He offered dry clothes and water to the men, some of whom, he said, “were in a bad way.” For hours the survivors, wrapped in gray blankets and mourning their losses, sailed on the superyacht. At 11:20 a.m. the Mayan Queen and its unexpected passengers arrived to port.

“We took them all,” Mr. Kirkby said.

Niki Kitsantonis contributed reporting from Athens.

Jason Horowitz is the Rome bureau chief, covering Italy, the Vatican, Greece and other parts of Southern Europe. He previously covered the 2016 presidential campaign, the Obama administration and Congress, with an emphasis on political profiles and features. More about Jason Horowitz

Matina Stevis-Gridneff is the Brussels bureau chief, leading coverage of the European Union. She joined The Times in 2019. More about Matina Stevis-Gridneff

This $175 million superyacht belonging to one of Mexico’s richest families rushed to the rescue of migrants and saved around 100 of them who had fallen off of a fishing boat in the Mediterranean. The 305 feet long vessel sheltered and safely bought the migrants to the Greek coast.

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MAYAN QUEEN Yacht – Remarkable $175M Superyacht

MAYAN QUEEN yacht is a 93-meter (306 ft) long superyacht built by Blohm and Voss and launched in 2008.

She has space for 16 guests and 24 crew members, although the exact layout of her interior is unknown.

MAYAN QUEEN yacht interior

The interior of the MAYAN QUEEN yacht remains a secret.

The design of the vessel was done by Terence Disdale , a well-known name in the industry who has worked on over 100 superyachts.

He designs a lot of his vessels according to the motto  “beach house, not penthouse”, which suggests that the interior of the MAYAN QUEEN yacht might have more casual rather than formal features. 

She has eight large suites that fit a total of 16 guests, as well as additional space for up to 24 crew members. Like many luxury vessels in her size category, she has a full gym and spa area.

The MAYAN QUEEN yacht is also known for her hidden balcony, which can be accessed from the master suite. In order to preserve her elegant design, the balcony can be retracted when needed.

MAYAN QUEEN yacht specifications

The superyacht is 93 meters (306 ft) long with a 15.8-meter (52.2 ft) beam and a 4.25-meter (14 ft) draft.

Her MAN diesel engines allow her to reach top speeds of 22 knots with a cruise speed of 20 knots.

Her total weight lies at 3879 tons which includes her aluminum superstructure and steel hull.

MAYAN QUEEN has a total range of 4.500 nautical miles, making her a fantastic yacht for traveling long distances.

MAYAN QUEEN price

MAYAN QUEEN was built by Blohm and Voss , a renowned German shipyard based in Hamburg.

She was delivered to her owner in 2008, replacing his previous yacht, which carried the same name which was inspired by Mayan historical sites on the Caribbean coast of Mexico such as Tulum and the Maya Riviera.

The MAYAN QUEEN was sold for a price of US $175 million and generates additional annual running costs of US $15 to 20 million.

The exterior of MAYAN QUEEN was developed by the award-winning yacht designer ​​Tim Heywood.

He has designed iconic superyachts such as A+ and DILBAR and specializes in timeless and sleek vessels.

MAYAN QUEEN is a prime example of this style with her all-white exterior and classic elements.

She has three large decks and a helipad at her bow. To ensure the comfort of her guests, she is equipped with a modern at-anchor stabilizer system.

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Mayan Queen IV

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MAYAN QUEEN IV yacht NOT for charter*

93.25m  /  305'11 | blohm + voss | 2008.

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Special Features:

• Lloyds Register classification
• Interior design from Terence Disdale
• Up to 24 crew
• Sleeps 16 overnight
• Limo Tender

The 93.25m/305'11" motor yacht 'Mayan Queen IV' was built by Blohm + Voss in Germany at their Hamburg shipyard. Her interior is styled by English designer design house Terence Disdale and she was delivered to her owner in June 2008. This luxury vessel's exterior design is the work of Tim Heywood Design.

Guest Accommodation

Mayan Queen IV has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 16 guests in 8 suites. She is also capable of carrying up to 24 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

Her features include underwater lights, gym and air conditioning.

Range & Performance

Mayan Queen IV is built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, with teak decks. Powered by twin diesel MAN (B&W 12VRK270) 12-cylinder 5,099hp engines running at 1000rpm, she comfortably cruises at 20 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 22 knots. An advanced stabilisation system on board promises exceptional comfort levels at anchor or on any voyage. She was built to Lloyds Register classification society rules, and is MCA Compliant.

*Charter Mayan Queen IV Motor Yacht

Motor yacht Mayan Queen IV is currently not believed to be available for private Charter. To view similar yachts for charter , or contact your Yacht Charter Broker for information about renting a luxury charter yacht.

Mayan Queen IV Yacht Owner, Captain or marketing company

'Yacht Charter Fleet' is a free information service, if your yacht is available for charter please contact us with details and photos and we will update our records.

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Mayan Queen IV Awards & Nominations

• The World Superyacht Awards 2009 Best Displacement Motor Yacht of 3,000GT and above (approximately 85m+) Finalist

NOTE to U.S. Customs & Border Protection

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M/Y Mayan Queen IV

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Alberto Bailleres' $200m superyacht that launched a tragedy

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Mayan Queen IV enters the Otago harbour during the New Zealand Rugby World Cup. Photo / Otago Daily Times

With an estimated fortune of more than $13 billion, Mexican mining tycoon Alberto Bailleres is one of the world's richest people.

His beloved Mayan Queen IV is worth about $200 million and is one of the largest — and most admired — superyachts in the world.

New Zealanders caught a glimpse of the six-storey, 93m floating palace when she sailed into Auckland in 2012, and made an extensive tour of the country during the Rugby World Cup, but she has sailed all over the world.

Yet despite the vessel's fame and regular international tours, only a privileged few — including Australian model and crew member Sinead McNamara, who died on board last Friday in bizarre circumstances — have ever laid eyes on the inside.

"Not much is known about (Mayan Queen IV's) interior and there are no interior photos available," states the website superyachtfan.com .

"We do know the VIP suite has an 'invisible balcony' … a platform slides out from under the superstructure when needed, preserving the yacht's sleek lines."

View this post on Instagram Nice photo (by Stephen Murphy) of the yacht Mayan Queen IV. She was built by Blohm and Voss for Mexican billionaire Alberto Bailleres. The yacht is getting worldwide attention now, as unfortunately the Sydney based Instagram model Sinead McNamara was found dead on board. If we understand correctly she was working as crew member on board. - - #superyachtfan #superyacht #sineadmcnamara #blohmvoss #mayanqueen #instagram #mexico #yacht #yachtphotography #stephenmurphy - - More here: https://www.superyachtfan.com/superyacht/superyacht_mayan_queen.html A post shared by SuperYachtFan (@superyachtfan) on Sep 2, 2018 at 11:43pm PDT

Like his prized boat, 84-year-old, married father-of-seven Mr Bailleres prefers to keep the details of his private life under wraps and is rarely photographed in public.

Ms McNamara's family members say the popular Instagram influencer had been working on the Mayan Queen IV for about four months.

Mr Bailleres is believed to have spent the past few weeks holidaying with relatives on the boat but disembarked last Tuesday to fly home to Mexico City, leaving the crew to their own devices, according to local media.

View this post on Instagram Repost from @arodz22 ・・・ #mayanqueen #mayanqueeniv #antigua #yachting #yacht #superyacht #megayacht #yachtdesign #blohmvossyachts #timheywooddesigns #aerial #antiguayachtshow Image by @arodz22 A post shared by @ yachtfan_lover on Dec 17, 2017 at 2:10am PST

Less than three days later, Ms McNamara was dead in what investigators suspect was a suicide but speculation has been rife on social media that she may have been involved in an accident or even foul play.

Octogenarian Alberto Bailleres is the country's second richest person, with an estimated net worth of US$9.6 billion (NZ$14.6 billion).

Mayan Queen IV facts

Specs: Luxury 92-metre motor yacht. 16 guests and 24 crew with a top speed of 22 knots Built: Blohm & Voss in 2008 Superseded: 39-metre Mayan Queen III, by Feadship Design: Tim Heywood with interior by Terence Disdale. World embarkations: London (2009), Honduras (2009), Sidney (2011), Auckland (2013) Source: superyachtfan.com

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93m Mayan Queen involved in migrant rescue

Over 100 migrants have been rescued from the sea after their vessel capsized near the coast of greece….

A migrant vessel bound for Italy capsized and sank in the early hours of 14 June, resulting in one of Greece’s largest-ever migrant tragedies. The ship, carrying an estimated 300 to 750 passengers, went down 47 nautical miles off Greece’s southern Peloponnese peninsula, according to a statement by the Hellenic Coast Guard.

The 93m Mayan Queen has reportedly rescued more than 100 migrants from the water, as one of the first respondents to the emergency. At the time of writing, Mayan Queen has returned to the Greek port of Kalamata, where the survivors are receiving medical attention. 

Before the migrant vessel went under, the Greek Coast Guard reported that it had made several unsuccessful attempts to establish contact with the boat and offer assistance. Those aboard reportedly “stated their desire to continue their voyage to Italy”.

This statement is countered by statements from Médecins Sans Frontières and other migrant rescue services, who suggest that the lack of action reflects a systematic pushback from local authorities against assisting migrant vessels. 

According to the BBC, survivors reported as many as 500 to 750 people on board, with the number of dead sure to rise. 

In the tragedy's aftermath, Greece declared three days of mourning. Meanwhile, the cause of the disaster remains unknown and the identities of the victims have not been confirmed.

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Billionaires are getting ready for summer with wildly spectacular superyachts

• Superyachts, the most expensive asset  a billionaire can own, are pushing the boundaries of luxury.
• The boats, which cost eight or nine figures, are getting larger and include more features than ever.
• From massage rooms to basketball courts, here's what the world's richest want on board.

For many wealthy boat owners, a private spa is a must-have on board. A sauna is a nice touch. A Jet Ski or two makes days at sea way more fun. And if you don't have someone on board who can whip up a Michelin-star-worthy meal , you might as well stay on land.

In the world of massive yachts , there's no such thing as too much. After all, if someone spends eight or nine figures to design the vessel of their dreams — or at least $500,000 a week to charter one — more is more.

"Yachting. It's not rational; it's emotional," Ralph Dazert, the head of intelligence at SuperYacht Times, told Business Insider at the Palm Beach International Boat Show, where dozens of superyachts — often defined as vessels over 30 meters in length — were on display.

And while there are certain classic features, such as jacuzzis and bars, what superyacht owners want is evolving, insiders at the show said. That might mean more crew members, more space for helicopters, or more water toys, but might also include manicure salons and putting greens.

"The bar of what is the baseline expectation has increased exponentially just over the last four or five years," Anders Kurtén, the CEO of brokerage Fraser Yachts, said. Clients are "spending more time on the boat and really wanting to extend the lifestyle they lead on the shore."

A lot of this can be chalked up to the pandemic. Superyacht purchases and charters spiked as life and luxury travel on land screeched to a halt. While the market has moderated slightly, the number of superyachts on order — 1,166 as of September, according to Boat International's Global Order Book — is still above pre-pandemic norms.

"What the pandemic really showed is that the appetite for being out there at sea, sort of living the marine lifestyle, is still as valid as ever," Kurtén said.

That means there's a lot of money on the water. The total value of the 203 superyachts over 30 meters delivered last year was $6.4 billion, according to data from SuperYacht Times. New custom builds from the world's most prestigious shipyards — Lurssen, Feadship, Oceanco , Benetti — can run into the hundreds of millions. Even used superyachts at the Palm Beach show cost as much as $75 million.

And it's not just traditional buyers like retired wealthy couples looking for a place to relax or celebrities looking for a place to party away from the paparazzi. New clients are often younger and have families, so want areas to work and watch movies . They also want pricey water toys, access to fitness equipment, or even pizza ovens for picky eaters.

"This would've never happened in the nineties," said Giovanna Vitelli, the vice president of the Azimut Benetti Group, the world's biggest producer of superyachts. "You would go with your beautiful woman, Champagne — the idea of yachting was much more showing off with your jacuzzi and things like that."

Pure opulence has made room for function.

When Benetti's Nabila set sail in 1980, its 50-person crew, gold-and-diamond-encrusted interiors, and lavish parties captured headlines and even inspired the Queen song "Kashoggi's Ship."(Seven years later, Donald Trump bought Nabila for $30 million , renaming her the Trump Princess.)

"Life on board was considered very formal — big formal dining rooms, boats were high on the water, you would be segregated from the rest of the world," Vitelli said, remembering another client who insisted on a replica of the Sistine Chapel above the dining table.

But the ostentatious, palatial-like interiors that used to be highlighted in yacht brochures have made way for lists of more functional features .

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Rather than esoteric novelties like an extra-large safe for rifles that one builder had to construct per a Russian yacht owner's request , the superyachts on display at the Palm Beach show featured basketball courts, saunas, and ice baths.

Owners want elevators and luxury gyms. Pampering options, be it a massage room, manicure station, or a professional-grade facial machine, are a dime a dozen. Some bathrooms have fancy Toto toilets, which can cost around $20,000.

Sterns (that's the back of the boat) used to be built high to guard guests' privacy. Now, they're built as "beach clubs" — an open swim platform.

And what good is a massage room if no one on board can give one? Many superyachts can hold twice as many crew members as guests, if not more. One broker, representing a boat that didn't have a masseuse, said it could be quite a "tricky" issue because if a charter wants one, they have to find someone who can massage guests and "pull their weight with the crew."

"It's not uncommon to look for a deckhand who can also mix a martini, play an instrument, maybe entertain the guests with singing, and ideally even give a massage," Kurtén said.

Of course, a crew comes at a cost . Most are considered full-time employees, requiring salaries and benefits like health insurance. Captains, first mates, and chief engineers often make six figures a year. That's without tips; a charter guest will typically spend six figures on gratuities for the crew who worked during a weeklong vacation.

For the superrich, there must be room for toys.

It's not just the onboard amenities that count. What's known as "toys" in the industry — water slides, eFoils, Jet Skis, and underwater scuba diving jets — are popular, and costs range from merely hundreds of dollars (banana boats) to millions ( submersibles , which are still popular despite the recent tragedy).

" Tenders and toys, the sky seems to be the limit," Kurtén said. "More is more."

If you can't fit all those toys in the yacht's storage space, you can just use another boat. Jeff Bezos' support yacht is a superyacht in itself, measuring 75 meters and costing tens of millions of dollars. (His main yacht, Koru , cost a reported $500 million.)

Support yachts are also faster, meaning the crew can get to a destination first and set up the Jet Skis, seapools, and the like, Dazert said. "By the time the owner arrives on the main yacht, everything's set up, and he can go and have fun."

Even tenders, the smaller vessel that brings guests from the ship to the shore, are getting glow-ups. The Nero, a 90-meter beauty available to charter for about $500,000 a week and modeled after J.P. Morgan's 1930s ship, has custom-built tenders to match the design. The most expensive ones often cost seven figures. Nero has three.

"It used to be a tender was a tender," Jeffrey Beneville, who handles yacht insurance at NFP, told BI. "Now they're called limousine tenders. Think of an incredibly luxurious gondola that's got a hard top so nobody's hair gets mussed when they're being dropped off at the Monaco Yacht Club ."

One thing that clearly hasn't changed in superyachting: showing off. If the boat next door at the marina has an indoor-outdoor cinema, it's natural to want one too. Ditto a wine cellar or helipad.

"It's a bit of a celebration of your success in life, of wealth," Vitelli, whose company is behind the Lana yacht Bill Gates chartered for a birthday party three years ago, said. "You push it a little more."

And that's a boon for yacht makers and brokers catering to the superrich.

"Our job is to make clients' dreams come true," Kurtén said.

Watch: Inside the world's biggest cruise ship that just set sail

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