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The young men and the sea: the outtakes
Last week the FT's Big Read hosted my deep dive investigation into illegal amber prospecting off the shores of Kaliningrad. (And no, the investigation wasn't prompted by SEO opportunism due to news Johnny Depp is suing ex-wife Amber Heard for defamation while accusing her of having an affair with Alphaville's favourite fantasist Elon Musk — Musk's rep has denied the claims. Nor controversy about Amber Rudd's clumsy language.)
In case you don't already know, Kaliningrad is the Russian exclave that used to be part of East Prussia, where Immanuel Kant spent his life and where Potemkin façades are a real thing. It is also home to about 90 per cent of the world's amber reserves.
Young amber divers in Yantarny, Kaliningrad
The story explains how young and desperate men are diving down into icy water, in highly dangerous conditions, in search of this so-called “Baltic gold”, which they then sell -- illegally -- to the Chinese, who buy it raw, in large quantities.
You can read the full story online here. But here are some exclusive out-takes for FT Alphaville readers who might want to know more.
About the mayor and his Kant collection...
The story features Alexey Zalivatsky, the mayor of Yantarny — the seaside town founded in the 13th century by the Teutonic Knights, where much of Kaliningrad's huge amber reserves can be found — describing just how perilous the pursuit is...
