a different, chartered ship had been scheduled to sail from piraeus on 9 february, but the departure was postponed several times because greek ship owners feared commercial retaliations from israel if their vessel was used. with this difficulty chartering a ship, on 13 february 1988 the plo purchased the "sol phryne" in limassol, cyprus at auction for $600,000. by the time of the sinking the crew of the ship had not been informed of the new owners.