Saddam Hussein's Yacht: A Park for Fishermen

The yacht once owned by Saddam Hussein, located on a river in southern Iraq, has turned into a destination for fishermen who previously dared not approach it. The Al-Mansur yacht, measuring 121 meters long, was a symbol of Saddam's wealth and power when it was built in the 1980s, and today it serves as a spot for onlookers and one fisherman who climbs onto the wreckage for leisure. Fisherman Hussein Sabahi, seeking some relaxation and enjoyment on the yacht's ruins after a long day on the river, stated, "When it was owned by the former president, no one dared to approach it." He added, "I can't believe this belonged to Saddam, and now I'm the one moving around it." In the turmoil that followed Saddam's fall, the yacht was stripped of its contents and looted, with everything taken from chandeliers and furniture to the metal structure itself. Another yacht of his was transformed into a hotel in Basra.