Phocea intrigue continues

Six months after the 75m S/Y Phocea was detained in Vanuatu under allegations of illegal activities, a private jet landed in Papua New Guinea after hours of the airport with two Asian men with Vanuatu diplomatic passports. Vanuatu’s Foreign Minister was also at the airport at the unusual hour on an unannounced “private mission,” according to a news report on Stuff.co.nz, a news site in New Zealand.

Police want to question the men about the Phocea, but they were permitted to fly off.

Meanwhile, Phocea remains under arrest in Port Vila harbor until police can determine who owns it. They claim it is or was registered in several countries. Thai national Vu Anh Quan Saken, who has a Vanuatu diplomatic passport, reputedly owns it.

Phocea was built in Toulon in 1976 for yachtsman Alain Colas who called her Club Mediterranee.