Initially built in 1906, Burton bought the Kalizma for $220,000 in 1967 It was on board the ship where he gave actress and his twice-wife Elizabeth Taylor a 69.42-carat, pear-shaped diamond now known as the Taylor-Burton Diamond.

Photos from the ship showed what appeared to be bullet holes from small arms fire scattered across the luxurious Kalizma. The satellite tracking data analyzed by the AP, cross-referenced with coordinates authorities earlier offered for the site of the incident, identified the Cook Islands-flagged Kalizma as the yacht involved in the shooting. “The yacht penetrated territorial waters and sailed in them without raising the flag of the yacht’s country, as well as (it) refused to respond and stop in clear violation of international maritime law,” the Yemeni Coast Guard said. A later statement from the Yemeni Coast Guard, posted online, acknowledged the death and said its forces along with Yemen’s navy tried to stop the Kalizma as it was operating in a “very suspicious way” close to the shore and did not answer radio calls.

The Coast Guard “returned fire and followed the yacht for approximately an hour until communications with the yacht could be established and the misunderstanding between the parties resolved.”Īmbrey said one Yemeni Coast Guard member was killed.

onboard the yacht then opened fire on the approaching Yemenis and attempted to escape perceived pirates,” Ambrey said. Ambrey, a maritime intelligence company, said in a brief that a Yemeni Coast Guard contingent had approached a Cook Islands-flagged yacht which hadn’t responded to radio calls.Īccording to the Coast Guard, “an armed security team.

Aden by D.B. Reynolds