Mystery Macau company buys aircraft carrier

A little-known Macau company has purchased an unfinished aircraft carrier.

Ukraine said yesterday it had sold the 67,000-tonne Varyag for US$20 million (HK$155 million) to Agencia Turistica e Diversoes Chong Lot Limitada.

But it emerged the company, incorporated in August, has no licence and its registered address does not exist.

Earlier this month the Macau Government refused permission for Chong Lot to anchor the huge ship off the enclave, an official source said, sparking speculation the carrier may have been bought by China.

Shipbuilders had completed 70 per cent of the carrier when the breakup of the Soviet Union stopped funding and work in 1992.

China has long had ambitions to either buy or build its own carriers, analysts said.