Hannibal Gaddafi — apparently as mad and megalomaniac as his father — was building a ship with a 120-tonne sea water aquarium inside. Why? To put six sharks inside, including two bull sharks and two whites, the most dangerous in the world.
Like a Bond villain, Gaddafi’s son ship was going to be the epitome of bad taste. Called the Phoenician, the ship is to be able to hold 3500 passengers. Full of golden everything, giant statues and marble columns, the ship centre piece is a 120-tonne sea water tank that was going to hold the sharks, which also included to peaceful black tip sharks. Along with tiger sharks and hammerheads, the bulls and the whites are extremely dangerous for humans.
The ship has now been bought by MSC Cruises. Pier Francesco Vago — the cruise company CEO — says that he doesn’t know why he wanted it, but the sea water tank is ready for use. Gaddafi’s son had already contracted a group of marine biologists who were going to take care of the sharks while they roamed in the tank. I like to imagine that there was a hidden trap on top of the tank, to drop misbehaving passengers in it.
Hannibal Gaddafi — who apparently was a violent thug in charge of Libya’s maritime interests and ports — is now living exiled in Argelia. [El Mundo — In Spanish]