Russian tycoon moors £225m bombproof 390ft-long superyacht on the Thames alongside HMS Belfast
The huge yacht required Tower Bridge to be raised before it pulled up next to the warship
A RUSSIAN tycoon made a dramatic arrival in to London by sailing his £225million bombproof superyacht up the River Thames, then mooring alongside warship HMS Belfast.
Andrey Melnichenko's enormous yacht required Tower Bridge to be raised so it could pass underneath.
It then parked up right next to the iconic World War Two D-D bombardment vessel.
The multi-million pound boat features three swimming pools - including one with a glass floor - and is one of the world's largest superyachts.
It has been sighted in Honolulu, Malibu, Puerto Rico, Turkey and Thailand during the years it has been on the water.
The yacht also boasts a helipad, bombproof glass and room for up to 14 guests to be waited on by 42 crew members. Its distinctive design has been likened to both a battleship and a submarine.
Billionaire Melnichenko is said to have a net worth of more than £8.5billion and lives a glamorous life with his 39-year-old wife Aleksandra, a former pop star and Serbian model.
The 44-year-old owns a customised Boeing 737 private jet, an estate in Ascot, Berks, a villa in the French Riviera and a penthouse in New York.
His yacht, dubbed Motor Yacht A, was said to have gone on the market in April and he has had another opulent vessel, Sailing Yacht A, built at a reported cost of up to £337million.
It was built by leading shipyard Blohm + Voss in Hamburg, Germany, and designed by Frenchman Philippe Starck, a renowned contemporary designer.
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His new superyacht has the latest in technology and luxurious extras.
It has masts which are nearly 330ft high, which is taller than the height of the tower which houses Big Ben.
Speaking to the , Dimitri Semenikhin, founder of Yacht Harbour, said: "Motor Yacht A is a unique boat in terms of its design and there is quite literally nothing like it on the market.
"If they were to find a buyer who would fall in love with the design, the price could go as far up as $300m (£225m). It will, however, be a tough sell at such a price as the design is very polarising.
"I've seen Motor Yacht A quite a few times in Monaco. It's extremely noticeable anywhere it goes, you can always find people snapping shots of it or pointing to it from the shore.
"When you pass close to it, you do realise how huge and tall it is. The first open deck is also very high which makes it feel very secure."
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