ONCE again, the Saudi Royal family has docked in Marbella for its summer holidays, and other tourists and residents have been able to admire the enormous, luxury Lady Haya in the marina.
Royal visit: The luxury Lady Haya docks in Puerto Banús as her owners arrive for their summer holiday (photo: YouTube/Capitán Puerto Banús)
The ruling family in the Middle Eastern country regularly chooses Marbella and other parts of the Andalucía coast for its annual getaway, so it is not unusual to see one of their impressive giant yachts moored off the shores of southern Spain, especially the Costa del Sol.
This time, their 65-metre-long steel craft, built in 1981 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and created by Terence Disdale Design, Chester Jones and Mitsubishi HI, is anchored close to the Benabolá pier in Puerto Banús.
According to CharterWorld, which hires out luxury yachts all over the globe, the Lady Haya has space for 16 guests in addition to the Saudi Arabian Royal family, and 21 crew members.
It originally belonged to the late King Fahd, and back in 1981 was at the cutting edge of technology, with two Daihatsu diesel motors with propulsion units that enable it to reach speeds of 18 knots or, when at a cruising speed of 16 knots, can sail for 6,400 nautical miles (11,853 kilometres or 7,365 'land' miles – about three-quarters of the way from pole to pole) before needing refuelling.
