The superyacht "Vive La Vie," owned by Swiss medical technology billionaire Willy Michel, has arrived in Skiathos for the first time after sailing through much of the Aegean Sea.
Ship tracking data from the Automatic Identification System (AIS) shows the vessel has been moving through Greek territorial waters since July. Before reaching the Northern Sporades and Skopelos, it made stops at Rhodes, Symi, Kos, Kalymnos, Patmos, as well as Agios Kirykos and Pythagoreio.
Technical Details and Value of the Yacht
"Vive La Vie" was built in 2008 by German shipyard Lürssen, with an exterior design by Espen Øino and Lürssen, while Art Line handled the interior layout.
The yacht measures between 59.4 and 60.35 metres in length, has an 11.1 metre beam and a displacement of 1,277 gross tons. It features a sky bar on the upper deck, a swimming pool and a designated outdoor dining area.
Its value is estimated at 80 million dollars. Two Caterpillar engines give it a top speed of 16 knots, and it can accommodate up to 13 guests along with a large crew.
Willy Michel's Business Career
Michel works in the field of drug self-administration systems and diagnostic devices. In 1984 he founded Disetronic with his brother, a company he sold to Roche in 2003 for 1.2 billion dollars.
He later bought back the infusion systems division for 310 million dollars, creating Ypsomed, in which he and his three children hold a 71% stake.
According to Forbes data published on August 18, 2026, Michel's fortune is estimated at 5.7 billion dollars, ranking him 728th globally among billionaires and among the 42 richest Swiss citizens.
Increased demand for weight-loss medications doubled Ypsomed's profits in its most recent financial year. Michel is also an art collector and has founded a museum that displays, among other works, portraits by painter Franz Gertsch.
