Operating Bezos' Superyacht Costs $25 Million A Year: Could Fiancée's Piloting Skills Offset Expenses?

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, owns the world's tallest yacht. The record-breaking vessel comes with high expenses and has served as the destination for several summer getaways for Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sanchez this summer.

What Happened: The Superyacht Koru became the center of a heated debate after it got stranded at a European port. The controversy arose from a contentious proposal to disassemble a historic bridge to allow the gigantic yacht to navigate its way to the open sea.

After working around the delays and complications, Bezos took possession of Koru earlier this year, a boat that comes with a cost of $500 million.

One factor that could potentially offset costs is the unique piloting abilities of Bezos's fiancée, Sanchez. Ever since they started their relationship, Sanchez is known to have taken on the role of pilot, personally flying Bezos and herself on numerous helicopter trips.

Sanchez is even credited with helping Bezos regain his comfort in air travel, a task that had been challenging due to a harrowing experience the billionaire had in a helicopter crash back in 2003. She also said in an interview that Bezos was working on getting his own pilot’s license.

Sanchez was recently seen landing Bezos’ helicopter on Abeona, the 250-foot-long support vessel for Koru. Page Six reported that it took Sanchez three or four attempts, but she was able to bring the helicopter successfully down on the helipad of the Abeona in Italy.

The support vessel that trails the Koru is equipped with numerous facilities, one of which is a helicopter pad. Koru, due to its height, was not able to have its own helipad, according to reports.

The vessel, measuring 230 feet tall and 417 feet long, operates using three large masts, which help it move using kinetic energy from the sails, adding an innovative use of green technology.

Operating the Koru requires a team of 40 sailors and incurs an annual cost of approximately $25 million.

The superyacht is currently said to be in Mallorca after a month-long cruise by Bezos and Sanchez around the Mediterranean. The boat is anchored in the Bay of Palma.

Related Link: 5 Things You Might Not Know About Jeff Bezos

Why It’s Important: Listed with a net worth of $155 billion by Bloomberg, Bezos is the third-richest person in the world.

Despite having the means to hire any helicopter pilot to facilitate his travels to Koru, Bezos's preference for Sanchez's piloting demonstrates the trust and support he places in his future wife. Her piloting may also be instrumental in making him feel safer in the sky again after the 2013 helicopter crash that left Bezos with minor injuries.

The superyacht Koru has certainly caught the public's attention, with Bezos recently spotted waving to tourists on a recent trip.

Read Next: Bezos May Be Worth $150B But He Pays $600K A Month In Rent To A Legendary Musician