OIL billionaire and Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich has sliced through Russian red tape to make it possible for solo sailor Adrian Flanagan to fulfill his lifetime's dream.
The 46-year-old father-of-two has slipped his moorings from the Port of Nome, Alaska and set sail for Chukotka in Russia.
Adrian, whose epic voyage began in Hamble nearly two years ago, is now on course to be the first person to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe via the Russian Arctic.
The Daily Echo can reveal that it is all thanks to behind-the-scenes top-level moves by Abramovich who is governor of the Russian Far East Region of Chukotka.
Russian red tape had forced Adrian to put his Alpha-Global Expedition on hold. However, after Adrian's expedition manager Louise Flanagan contacted Mr Abramovich through his right-hand man, John Mann, the oil mogul decided to step in and help.
For the full story see today's Daily Echo
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