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echo yachts

Echo Yachts & MMYD announce new fully customizable SP30 catamaran motor yacht design for FLIBS 2020

Echo Yachts & MMYD announce new fully customizable SP30 catamaran motor yacht design for FLIBS 2020 Australian custom superyacht builder Echo Yachts are pleased to announce the addition of a…

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Project Echo: HSV Humanitarian Support Vessel

Project Echo: ‘HSV’ Humanitarian Support Vessel Design release by Echo Yachts and Bannenberg & Rowell Design Australia’s large custom Superyacht and Yacht Support Vessel builder Echo Yachts are pleased to…

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84m Trimaran White Rabbit launched in Henderson, Western Australia

Echo Yachts 84m trimaran White Rabbit launched in Henderson, Western Australia Australian custom Superyacht builder Echo Yachts are proud to announce the successful launch of their 84m superyacht newbuild project…

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84m Trimaran White Rabbit Revealed

Echo Yachts 84m trimaran White Rabbit revealed Australian custom Superyacht builder Echo Yachts have proudly revealed their 84m superyacht newbuild project ‘White Rabbit’ during an exclusive VIP event at their…

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Echo Marine Group upgrades to ISO9001:2015

Echo Marine Group upgrades to ISO9001:2015 The team at Echo Marine Group is proud to announce the certification upgrade of our Quality Management System to the ISO 9001:2015 requirements. Our…

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Project Echo – Adventure Support Yacht

Project Echo – Adventure Support Yacht Australian custom Superyacht builder Echo Yachts are excited to unveil their new Adventure Support Yacht aptly named ‘Project Echo‘ designed in collaboration with renowned…

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‘M/Y Charley’ 46m Catamaran on display at Singapore yacht show

‘M/Y Charley’ 46m Catamaran on display at Singapore yacht show ECHO YACHTS 46m M/Y CHARLEY FEATURING AT THE SINGAPORE YACHT SHOW 6th – 9th APRIL 2017 West Australian superyacht builder…

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Successful Delivery of 46m Catamaran Charley

Successful Delivery of 46m Catamaran Charley Australian Superyacht specialists Echo Yachts successfully launch and deliver 46m Shadow Vessel ‘Charley’ Western Australia’s largest superyacht builder Echo Yachts is proud to announce…

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Australian Superyacht specialists Echo Yachts, Sorgiovanni Design and One2three Naval Architects team up for new 120m Trimaran Design

Australian Superyacht specialists Echo Yachts, Sorgiovanni Design and One2three Naval Architects team up for new 120m Trimaran Design Announcing the new Sorgiovanni Design – 120m Trimaran design Sorgiovanni Design, Echo…

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White Rabbit Golf in the news!

White Rabbit Golf in the news! Check out the latest news update for our current build projects

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First renderings of Echo Yachts’ new builds released

First renderings of Echo Yachts’ new builds released Australian superyacht builder Echo Yachts is pleased to report that work on their two new build projects is on schedule and progressing…

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Echo Yachts first major fibreglass infusion

Echo Yachts first major fibreglass infusion On Thursday last week, our fibreglass team infused the largest ever section of a mold in one go and the most complicated layup ever…

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Update 46m GRP Shadow Vessel Echo Yachts are now please to announce that we are well into the 46m cat GRP shadow vessel we started on a few months ago. All…

Media Release

Media Release Largest-­Ever Australian Built Super­‐Yacht to be built in Henderson A Singapore‐based family has formed Echo Yachts, a yacht builder based in Western Australia’s Henderson Marine Precinct to undertake the…

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Echo Yachts’ Superyacht White Rabbit Scores a Lot of Firsts

Last week’s launch of 276-foot trimaran superyacht white rabbit thrusts the australian yachtbuilder into pole position, clocking in as “largest” three different ways..

Danielle Cutler

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Echo Yachts White Rabbit Trimaran superyacht Charley Shadow

After four years of design and construction, Australia-based Echo Yachts launched the 276-foot custom superyacht White Rabbit last week. At almost 3,000 gross tons, not only is it the largest superyacht ever built in Australia (by a factor of two in terms of volume and magnitude, according to Echo’s sales and marketing and project manager Chris Blackwell), but it is also the largest trimaran (tri-hull) superyacht in the world. Oh, and it also takes the prize as the largest aluminum superyacht in the world. And they’re not done; it’s the first diesel electric superyacht to be built in Australia, as well, Blackwell says.

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Award-winning Sorgiovanni Designs , also headquartered in Western Australia, teamed up with aluminum high-speed and multihull design specialists One2Three Naval Architects, Echo Yachts in-house design team for engineering, and Alia Interiors for the fully bespoke behemoth of a yacht. The overall process was managed by senior project manager Nick Gardiner.

Sorgiovanni’s trimaran design for White Rabbit includes a 64-foot beam, which, Blackwell explains, is much larger than monohull vessels of the same length. For example, the 275-foot Feadship Savannah has a 41-foot beam, while the 279-foot Lürssen Areti boasts one of 49 feet. This extra square footage provides the owners with expansive entertaining decks and palatial interior spaces uninterrupted by walls and pillars. It also enables Echo Yachts to use the middle hull for accommodations and the port- and starboard-side hulls for the propulsion machinery, ensuring noise and vibration sources are isolated from all of the guest spaces for optimal comfort, says Blackwell.

Sorgiovanni used the additional volume to create two master staterooms, three VIP staterooms, six guest cabins, and 25 crew cabins. All told, the superyacht accommodates 22 guests (up to 30 if all berths are used) and 32 crew.

More information on the yacht’s amenities and interiors will be revealed once the yacht has successfully completed its sea trials, but Blackwell did share that a large Jacuzzi sits on the top sundeck and, in addition, White Rabbit sports a huge, three-part swim platform made up of the three hulls. The side hulls have hydraulic bridges that extend inward to reach across to the center hull, making one very large beach terrace for diving, water sports, tender operations, jet-ski tie-up—you name it. He described it as being like a marina arrangement. Plus, the center hull’s swim platform houses a hydraulic sea stair that comes up out of the deck and forms stairs and a platform that ascend up to a high dock or descend down into the water for easy in and out from the water when diving.

Echo Yachts White Rabbit Trimaran superyacht Charley Shadow

Echo Yachts shadow vessel Charley travels with White Rabbit.  Photo: Courtesy Echo Yachts

Designed to carry two Naiad RIB tenders (also built in Australia), White Rabbit will travel with its 167-foot catamaran shadow vessel named Charley . Echo Yachts delivered Charley in January 2017 to White Rabbit’ s Singaporean owner. According to Blackwell, it has a helipad and carries a large assortment of watercraft, water-sports gear, a diving decompression chamber, and more. Charley is meant to keep White Rabbit uncluttered and focused on the cruising, luxury accommodations, and service functions.

With its diesel-electric Kongsberg/STADT and Rolls-Royce propulsion system, trimaran hull design, and custom Naiad ride-control stabilizers, White Rabbit presents an energy-efficient, comfortable, and quiet yacht.

Echo Yachts and sales and marketing/project manager Chris Blackwell will be at the Monaco Yacht Show at the end of September.

Danielle Cutler started covering yachts, marinas, and the yachting industry in 2005. Besides writing and editing yacht content for Robb Report, Danielle has worked for Yachts International and the…

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By SuperyachtNews 18 Mar 2024

Echo Yachts to build world’s largest sailing catamaran

As the western australian industry continues to grow, the perth-based shipbuilder will construct a fully custom 57-metre, twin-masted catamaran….

echo yachts

Echo Yachts , Dykstra Naval Architects  and One2Three Naval Architects have collaborated on the design and build of a twin-masted catamaran sailing superyacht. The 57-metre yacht has been commissioned by an experienced private client and is poised to become the world’s largest sail-powered catamaran.

“Echo Yachts are extremely excited and proud to have been selected to custom build this magnificent catamaran sailing superyacht, and look forward to bringing the yacht to fruition,” says Mark Stothard, Echo Yachts Owner and Director.

“This new superyacht will truly elevate the term ‘green superyacht design’ with its low resistance catamaran hull form, sail-powered capability and other emission-reducing technologies”.

When looking at the data provided by Echo Yachts, multihulls are expediently more efficient than their monohull counterparts. For instance, when looking at the 91.5m Oceanco Tranquility (previously known as Equanimity ) compared to Echo Yachts’ 84m trimaran White Rabbit – despite having a similar gross tonnage, Tranquility requires 7.2MW of power to achieve a top speed of 19 knots.

In contrast, White Rabbit needs only 4.2MW to reach 18.7 knots –a 40% reduction in power consumption. Considering that the industry has extensively voiced its aspirations to decarbonise and adopt more environmentally friendly practices, multihulls present a compelling option.

Dykstra Naval Architects, headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, brings its expertise to the table, spearheading the exterior styling, layout, and naval architecture of the yacht. With a portfolio boasting iconic sailing yacht projects like Black Pearl and Hetairos, Dykstra Naval Architects is synonymous with excellence in maritime design.

Handling the detailed structural design is the esteemed Australian firm One2Three Naval Architects. Notable for their expertise in aluminium and multihull design, One2Three Naval Architects is responsible for the intricate naval architecture of acclaimed vessels such as the international award-winning 84m aluminium trimaran superyacht White Rabbit , delivered in 2018, and the 56m catamaran superyacht  Charley 2, delivered in 2023.

The yacht's aluminium hull form is complemented by twin masts and sails, with a total sail area of around 1660 msq, ideal for efficient long-range cruising. While aluminium offers advantages such as reduced weight and increased speed, it also poses specific difficulties that builders must overcome.

One of the primary challenges is ensuring structural integrity and stability. Aluminium is lighter than steel, but it is also less rigid. Builders must carefully design and engineer the hull and structural components to maintain stability and durability while minimising weight.

“Aluminium fabrication also tends to be a little more challenging and requires a higher level of skill compared to steel. For example, our aluminium welders can easily transition to welding steel, but it's more difficult for steel welders to adapt to welding aluminium,” explains Chris Blackwell, Sales and Marketing Manager, Echo Yachts.

“Unlike steel, aluminium involves more complex weld sequencing and techniques. However, this is only a challenge if you're not already proficient in it. When you have industries like we have here in West Australia, where we have the capability to launch ourselves and maintain a high level of competency and accuracy in our work, it's not an issue for us to handle aluminium fabrication.”

The news is significant as there is currently a lot of movement in the Western Australia superyacht sector, with the state having a 12,000-tonne lifting capacity floating dock too. Coupled with several prominent superyacht builders specialising in the design, manufacturing, and export of custom-made superyachts, refits, and maintenance services, the region is a hub for high-end maritime craftsmanship.

The national domestic fleet of superyachts has seen a noteworthy doubling between 2022 and 2023, indicative of a thriving industry. In 2023 alone, the Western Australian superyacht sector is conservatively estimated to support 1,395 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs, contributing significantly to the local economy. This includes $119.5 million in wages and salaries paid to Western Australian workers and a substantial $180.6 million contribution to the Gross State Product (GSP), encompassing both direct and flow-on economic impacts.

This new large-scale catamaran sailing yacht project sees Echo Yachts expand on their proven large-custom motor yacht capabilities by entering the large-custom sailing yacht market.

The potential of multihull vessels in the superyacht segment is a core focus of a feature article in the upcoming New Build Report, featuring insights from Echo Yachts and Shadowcat, dissecting why uptake has been relatively slow, and why the industry could see a paradigm shift towards multihulls over the next decade.

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echo yachts largest catamaran in australia charley 2 superyacht

Echo Yachts delivers largest catamaran built in Australia

Custom superyacht builder Echo Yachts has delivered the 56-metre support vessel Charley 2 from its shipyard near Fremantle, Western Australia. She is the largest catamaran to be built in Australia and is now en route to Sorong, Indonesia, according to BOATPro 's Global Fleet Tracker. 

Construction on the 1,041GT, all-aluminium vessel began in 2020 and was commissioned by an experienced yachtsman. She is five metres longer than her predecessor, Charley , but the two share a raised helicopter platform aft. Naval architecture was performed by One2Three Naval Architects while fit-out design, engineering and electrical were handled in-house.

Charley 2 's full-custom, hydrodynamic aluminium hull enables her to be propelled by much smaller engines than expected of her size. Another noteworthy design point is her 15kW of solar panels, which provides a third of the yacht’s energy demand at maximum output.

Accommodation is for 18 guests and 19 crew. While the full layout has not been disclosed, Charley 2 benefits from an additional double guest cabin and a large captain's cabin alongside an extended wheelhouse deck and two external storerooms.

The yacht also has impressive explorer capabilities, with features such as a helicopter touch-and-go pad (suitable for an Airbus EC130 helicopter), a dive store and a decompression chamber. 

There is also ample storage, including a 12-metre, custom-built catamaran tender able to be launched and retrieved via an upgraded, walk-around platform positioned on the vessel’s stern. The tender is equipped with specialist sonar equipment for discovering wreckage and dive spots.

“This is a very special day for the teams at Echo Yachts and One2Three Naval Architects seeing the fruits of our combined efforts in the launch of Charley 2 ,” said director of Echo Marine Group Mark Stothard. “She sits perfectly on the design waterline and is one of the most complete vessels I have seen at launch.”

Powered by twin Caterpillar C32 engines, she can reach a top speed of 17 knots and a range of 3,380 nautical miles when pared to 12 knots.

This new build is the second-largest in Echo Yachts’ fleet. The largest is the 84-metre White Rabbit , the world's largest trimaran superyacht.

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Echo Yachts delivers world’s largest tri-hulled superyacht ‘White Rabbit’

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By Rebecca Bradbury   27 November 2018

The 84m/275ft trimaran superyacht ‘White Rabbit’ has been delivered to her owner and is currently undergoing final preparations ahead of her maiden voyage to Singapore next week.

After undergoing extensive sea trials off the coast of Perth, White Rabbit was handed over to her owner on 31 October and officially became the world’s biggest tri-hulled yacht.

The brand new build also holds the title of being the largest superyacht ever built in Australia and is expected to slot into 100th place in the Top 100 Largest Superyacht rankings.

echo yachts

Also impressive is her huge 20-metre beam, which is far larger than other yachts in her class and, with her measurements, she will offer huge interior volumes.  

Launched on 1 September, she boasts naval architecture from Echo Yachts and One2Three while Australian designer Sam Sorgiovanni is behind both the interior and exterior styling.  

White Rabbit officially became the world’s biggest tri-hulled yacht when she was handed over to her owner on 31 October

The moment luxury yacht White Rabbit first hit the water can be seen in the video below. Viewers will also be able to spot the expansive deck areas designed for the enjoyment of guests, with a large pool perched on the forward section of her sundeck.

No pictures have been released of the interior yet but it is said to feature art deco overtones with gold accents and custom furniture. She will be able to sleep up to 12 guests.

M/Y White Rabbit is not available for charter, but for more information on chartering one of the world’s largest yachts, speak to your preferred charter broker .

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MYS 2022: Echo Yachts on Building with a Difference

By George Bains

Chris Blackwell of Echo Yachts was a highly anticipated visitor to the Superyachts.com Interview Studio at the Monaco Yacht Show 2022. Though only a short period after his last discussion with Shari Liu at the Top100 London Premiere in July, much has changed for Chris with some exciting announcements…

Echo Yachts, based in Western Australia, has carved out a distinct position within the superyacht industry for its specialisation in unique, one-off custom superyachts built across all hull forms. The first topic of conversation naturally orientated towards the benefits of newbuild and refit projects at the award-winning shipyard.

“We build for our client position anywhere in the world,” explains Chris. “I think our proposition is that we create superyachts that are totally different from what any other builder is doing on the market.

“From a cost point of view, we’re very competitive on price. Our quality is very high – we have a great in-house team with all trades, so there’s a really high level of attention to detail.”

Even more than the incredible capability of shipyard projects with Echo Yachts, there is also an infinite cruising destination to discover in Australia and the surrounding South East Asian and Indian Ocean region.

Since their discussion at the Top100 Premiere in London, Shari congratulated Chris on his recent appointment as the new Chairman of Superyacht Australia.

“Superyacht Australia is the Australian superyacht industry’s association for all of the builders, manufacturers, and brokers. It’s a really good group of people and business owners championing what Australia is all about.”

Chris ended by reflecting on the launch of the Australia InDepth documentary series, currently being released on Superyachts.com. “It’s really an holistic look at what Australia offers in terms of superyacht cruising, chartering, building and maintaining.

“People can very quickly gain and understanding of exactly what to expect when they arrive.”

"I think our proposition is that we create superyachts that are totally different from what any other builder is doing on the market." Chris Blackwell - Sales and Marketing Manager, Echo Yachts

"I think our proposition is that we create superyachts that are totally different from what any other builder is doing on the market."

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  • Corrections

What Happened on Nazino Island? The Cannibal Gulag

The short-lived Nazino Island Gulag was one of the most horrific episodes of Soviet history, wherein the inmates turned to cannibalism in order to survive.

nazino island gulag cannibal

  • Over 6,700 prisoners were sent to the gulag on Nazino Island in Western Siberia with minimal resources, resulting in widespread starvation and cannibalism; 4,000 died within 13 weeks.
  • The island, intended as a part of Stalin’s plan to spread out the Soviet population and utilize prisoner labor for collectivization, faced logistical challenges, including a severe tool shortage, which contributed to the disaster.
  • Despite reports of the horrors on the island, officials initially turned a blind eye; when the tragedy finally came to light decades later, a memorial was erected to honor the victims, many of whom were not true criminals but unlucky citizens caught in Stalin’s harsh system.

In 1933, 6,700 prisoners were sent to a gulag on Nazino Island in the middle of the Ob River in Western Siberia. They were given only a few bags of flour to sustain themselves. Without tools to cultivate the land nor any clothing and supplies to survive the harsh climate, the gulag’s population resorted to the most depraved act of cannibalism. Within 13 weeks, 4,000 people had died on the island, and armed guards shot those who tried to escape. Nazino Island was, quite possibly, the worst gulag of them all.

The Origins of the Nazino Island Gulag

genrikh yagoda photo

During the early 1930s, the Soviet Union wished to spread out its population to make use of arable farmland across the vast country. Relocating prisoners was a perfect way to do this. Collectivized farms sprang up across previously uninhabited parts of the country, and prisoners were used as the labor that would achieve this. With plenty of political enemies, there was no shortage of prisoners in the Soviet Union, and labor was easily attainable.

In February of 1933, the head of the OGPU secret police, Genrikh Yagoda , and Matvei Berman, the head of the Gulag system, proposed an idea to deport two million people to Siberia and the Kazakh regions to work on collective farms. They had done this before with the Kulaks, which had proven successful. 

This time, however, there was a severe shortage of tools. And this would prove to be a vital ingredient to the carnage that would follow.

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forced collectivization workers

In major cities such as Moscow and Leningrad, workers and other people providing important services were issued with internal passports. This system made it easy to identify unproductive, unwanted, and criminal elements of society. These undesirables were earmarked for deportation. Despite being a much-loathed feature of Tsarist Russia and done away with under the Bolsheviks , the passport system was reinstated under the rule of Stalin to devastating effect. It proved to be highly effective in streamlining productivity and reassigning the superfluous elements of society to more productive roles.

The authoritarian decrees and the arrest quotas the police had to fill ensured that being deported to one of the many gulags was incredibly easy to achieve. Between March and July 1933, 85,937 people were deported from Moscow alone. Being an avid communist and supporter of the system meant nothing if you left your papers at home. It was in this dynamic that the 6,700 prisoners destined for Nazino Island began their journey.

narym settlers victims

Transportation hubs were set up in the cities of Tomsk, Omsk, and Achinsk. Rail convoys were created, which departed from Moscow and Leningrad. Daily rations on board the trains consisted of just 300 grams (11 ounces) of bread. Thuggery within the carriages meant that many went without rations, while those with muscle and a questionable moral compass had plenty to eat.

Those destined for Nazino Island then found themselves on barges, where for two weeks, they were crammed together for two weeks and fed only 200 grams (7 ounces) of bread per day. Twenty-seven people died en route to the island.

nazino island ob

On May 18, 1933, 322 women and 4,556 men disembarked at their destination, which was the last place most of them would ever see. The island was 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) long and 600 meters (660 yards) wide and could not feed the thousands of new residents. The only thing the prisoners had was 20 tons of flour. Fighting broke out as the flour was being unloaded and distributed, and the guards fired on the prisoners to restore order. Distribution was attempted again the next day with the same result.

After leaders were designated amongst the prisoners, the flour was handed out. However, most of these leaders would simply hoard the flour for themselves.

With no ovens on the island, the prisoners ate the flour with water from the river, and as a result, dysentery spread through the gulag.

It was around this time that the plan for the Nazino Island Gulag was rejected by Stalin. But it was too late for the deportees. Yagoda and Berman had already put their plan into action.

Many tried to escape via flimsy rafts but drowned in the icy waters of the Ob. Those who did manage to make it to shore were hunted by guards as if it were a sport. Those who managed to escape were presumed dead, as the wilderness around the area is extremely inhospitable.

The guards were equally violent. They allowed the gangs to operate and executed prisoners for minor infractions. The violent situation on the island also hindered the doctors on the island, as they feared for their lives too. The guards made little attempt, if any, to keep them safe.

Chaos Breaks Out

soviet prisoners gulag

It did not take long for violence to become rife and for order to completely break down on the island. Cultivation of the soil was impossible without tools, and as most of the deportees were city-dwellers, they knew very little about survival in the wild.

The more violent members of the new society formed gangs and took control, exploiting the weaker members. Anything that could be traded for food was taken, including gold teeth. Fights broke out over food, and murder became a daily occurrence.

Barely one week after being confined to the island, doctors started reporting incidents of cannibalism. News of this was sent back to Tomsk, but the response was not positive. Instead of sending help, the authorities sent another 1,000 prisoners and no extra food. This was probably due to a bureaucratic mistake rather than a willful decision to make the situation worse.

Meanwhile, the guards would regularly throw bits of bread into the starving crowds and watch as fights broke out. Their cruelty extended to shooting at the prisoners on the island for sport while they sat in the safety of their boats, getting drunk. They even traded cigarettes and bread for sex from female prisoners.

They did, however, take action when they heard reports of cannibalism, but they were almost powerless to prevent the atrocities.

The Horror of the Cannibalism

tomsk oblast map

Those who died from accidents, fights, or being shot by the guards were eaten in desperation, but this body count wasn’t enough. Roving gangs hunted and murdered for food. They skewered their victims on sticks and roasted them over fires.

Interviews with the local Ostyak people later revealed harrowing stories. In one account, Feofila Bylina’s parents received a visitor from the island one night. A 40-year-old woman was at their door, and the Bylin family took her in and discovered that the poor victim’s calves had been cut off.

Another account tells the story of a 13-year-old Ostyak girl who went to the island to gather firewood. She witnessed a woman being tied to a tree, whereupon her breasts, calves, and other bits of her body were sliced off. The girl hurriedly alerted the guards, but the victim died before she could be helped.

nazino island today

A communist instructor living on the banks of the Ob, Vasily Velichko, began to hear rumors of what was happening on Nazino Island and, without waiting for permission from the authorities, decided to investigate the situation. When he arrived on the island in August, a grim picture of the situation greeted him. He found half-eaten bodies hiding among the tall grasses. He followed up by conducting interviews with the Ostyak people living nearby and built up a picture of what had happened. He sent a report to Moscow. For his efforts, he was kicked out of the Communist Party and fired from his job. The report was then hidden in the archives.

Action, however, was taken, and the gulag was closed. The 50 guards overseeing Nazino Island also had their Party membership rescinded, and they were all jailed for negligence and being complicit in the horror that unfolded.

“I only ate livers and hearts. It was very simple. Just like shashlik. We made skewers from willow branches, cut it into pieces, stuck it on the skewers, and roasted it over the campfire. I picked those who were not quite living, but not yet quite dead. It was obvious that they were about to go — that in a day or two, they’d give up. So, it was easier for them that way. Now. Quickly. Without suffering for another two or three days.” One of the survivors 

The Aftermath

nazino memorial cross

In the period of thirteen weeks which encompassed the tragedy, roughly 6,000 people were deported to Nazino Island. Around 1,500 to 2,000 people died from starvation, disease, exposure, murder, or accidental death. Approximately 2,000 survived past the camp’s closing, but the vast majority were ill, with many bedridden. Many did not survive their relocation to other camps. Only a few hundred people were healthy enough to work.

With the Glasnost policy in 1988, the Soviet Union became more open about its past, and the human rights group Russian Memorial Society investigated the horrors of Nazino Island, bringing it to the attention of the public.

A wooden cross was planted on the island in memory of the victims, and every year in June, pilgrims make their way from Tomsk to pay their respects in honor of those who died in this tragedy. In 2018, a church was also built and dedicated to the memory of the victims.

nazino island trees

The purpose of Soviet gulags was primarily to get rid of dissidents but also to provide labor. In this, Nazino Island was a complete failure on both fronts. Many deportees were not criminals but just unlucky enough to be seized by the police. One man, over one hundred years old, was a victim because he didn’t have his papers on him. Another was a student simply standing at the front door of his aunt’s apartment.

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By Greg Beyer BA History & Linguistics, Journalism Diploma Greg specializes in African History. He holds a BA in History & Linguistics and a Journalism Diploma from the University of Cape Town. A former English teacher, he now excels in academic writing and pursues his passion for art through drawing and painting in his free time.

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